Slater Special City Council work session August 8, 2007

A special session of the Slater City Council was called to order by Mayor Rick Rewerts at 7:30 P.M. on August 8, 2007, at City Hall 105 Greene St., Slater, Iowa. The roll being called the following Council members were present as follows: Louise O’Donnell, Gene Staples, and Don Schick. Electronic-Mark Pritchard. Dave Cook arrived at 7:45. Others in attendance were Colin and LaDonna Chriswell, Chris Gutschow representing People Services, Mary Beth Chinery, Laura Runyan, Fred Mason and Jane Konfrst.

Chris Gutschow of PeopleService, Inc. responded to questions regarding a detailed proposal presented to the Council for their advanced study and review. The firm targets smaller communities and provides the option of contracting the water and wastewater operation. Preliminary cost proposals were discussed.

The services provided include securing staff with the credentials required by the community operation and all of the costs associated with the search. PeopleService would pay staff a competitive wage plus a complete benefit package including workers compensation and all safety and other required training. They guarantee staff coverage for a five year period of time with back up staff available to cover weekend rotations, vacations and illness. The credentialed individual typically resides in or within a reasonable response time of the community and is encouraged to become an integrated part of the City team and community as a whole. The firm also provides a vehicle and such items as upgraded meter reading equipment as necessary. Chemicals are secured through PeopleService typically achieving cost savings to the community due to quantity purchasing.

The individuals are provided disaster preparedness emergency planning tools in compliance with the Homeland Security Standards to protect the community’s water system and are versed in monitoring legislation regarding changing stream standards and other applicable regulations. Another feature offered is properly trained handling of hazardous chemicals such as chlorine as well as Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) compliance and management. Detailed regular capital expenditure planning, rate analysis, maintenance record keeping and budget assistance are also included in the proposal. Complete details of the proposal are on file for public inspection.

No action was taken at this time pending another attempt to secure staff through traditional hiring practices at $13.00 per hour.

Sue North presented the Mayor with a medical form signed by her surgeon requiring reduced hours for at least another two weeks. The surgeon suggested a typical recovery time is 6 – 8 weeks. It was consensus that Sue will remain on sick leave as needed and continue to work from home when possible during her continued recovery from her non-elective surgery of July 26, 2007.

City Administrator North announced her formal resignation to the Mayor on July 21, 2007 in accordance with previously established City protocol. She presented a written letter at the meeting after making sure details regarding her health and technical facets of her new position were in place before making a public announcement. Ms. North wrote "It is a bittersweet moment as I submit this letter of resignation", she indicated that she is not eager to leave but feels that her talents will be better utilized in a larger community who welcomes her knowledge and passion for ethical public service. The letter goes on to say "I was not seeking another position when a professional management opportunity in the metro presented itself … I have accepted a position with career potential as part of the leadership team with the City of Grimes and I plan to begin as my health allows."

North commented that due to health reasons, it appears unlikely that she will be able to continue her typical work schedule (which typically averages a minimum of 110 hours every two weeks). Upon completion of her medical leave the City Administrator/Clerk is entitled to use her vacation hours. She offered to coordinate her available hours to consult for Slater to ease the transition and meet the priority needs of the City. She qualified the time restraint indicating that in fairness to her new employer the arrangement needs to be on a limited basis for a defined period of time and preferably after hours and weekends. It was agreed that she would coordinate the schedule with the Mayor.

She closed her comments including reflections of thanks as follow: "I will treasure the positive things Slater was able to accomplish during my tenure and I will mourn the dreams of things I had hoped to help facilitate here. When I accepted the position in Slater I made a promise to leave the community in better circumstances than when I arrived. I have satisfied that commitment. I would like to thank Mayor Rewerts, past and present elected officials, board members and community members who helped to accomplish that goal. It has been a privilege to be a positive part of the history of the community and to serve the citizens of Slater. If I may be of continued or future service to the citizens I welcome the opportunity to discuss how that might happen".

A lengthy discussion ensured as to how to proceed. Gene Staples suggest that Slater is not big enough for a City Administrator and that we should proceed with status quo using the existing part time temporary staff until the newly elected Council takes office in January.

Council Member Schick indicated that he didn’t feel the City could wait until January.

Mark Pritchard commented that the new Council would come in lacking permanent staff if the search is put off. He indicated that the current council owes it to the next Council to proceed and failing to do so would be irresponsible.

Council Member Cook supported making a decision sooner rather than later.

Council woman Louise O’Donnell noted that she feels the Council owes it to the city to seek the best possible candidate for the position and to explore all the options.

Clerk/Administrator North suggested options to consider for all the vacant positions. They included investigating the use of a neutral search firm such as HR Once Source or Public Management Resource Group (PMRG) or use local community persons trained and certified in Human Resource Management to help provide structure for the selection committee. Use of these consultants could guide the process and prevent the misunderstandings about all staff roles that occurred in part due to the lack of job analysis of existing positions to see if restructuring and staffing levels are appropriate, outdated job descriptions since the creation of the administrator position, and unclear communication of the table of organization setting out lines of authority and reporting responsibilities. They could also clarify the differences between a City Clerk and City Administrator and what structure the current ordinances, advertisement and offer implied to the successful candidate.

She went on to say that neutral facilitators could provide professional assistance in mediating the community power struggle between the old guard and the new guard politics creating conflict and unethical efforts being used to undermine the present City Council and community leadership.

North expressed strong feelings that the current City Council was elected by the citizens and thereby has a fiduciary responsibility to do the right thing on their behalf. That means taking responsibility for making the decisions about hiring a professional staff person to implement the vision of the community leaders and be a steward of the taxpayer’s finances and not try to delay and transfer that responsibility to the next administration.

After considerable discussion Council Member O’Donnell moved to continue the current structure set in place when Sue North was hired by hiring a City Clerk/Administrator and a Deputy City Clerk. Council Member Schick seconded the motion. The motion passed with record vote as follows: Yes: O’Donnell, Schick, and Cook. No: Staples and Pritchard.

Sue North suggested that Mary Beth Chinery’s unpaid internship needs to be appropriately concluded so that she is not put at risk of compromising proper credit from ISU for the work she has volunteered to do.

It was also suggested that a position be legally advertised and a candidate pool sought for the vacant office position since individuals have already expressed interest in the position and the hiring process was interrupted pending funds and budget being available for the position.

Basic skills required for the interim position should include payroll and accounts payable. Neither of the existing staff have experience with Slater’s payroll software and limited work with accounts payable using Summit software. Both have greater experience with utility billing and routine office operations at this time. Temporary staffing will be placed as an item on the next agenda.

It was consensus of the Council that LaDonna Chriswell’s position be advertised at the earliest possible date as Public Works Supervisor rather than Director.

Due to Labor Day the Council agreed to hold the 1^st council meeting of September on the 10^th at 7:30 pm.

It was moved by Staples and seconded by Cook to adjourn at 10:20 P.M., the motion carried and the meeting adjourned.