1973 12 03CITY COUNCIL MEETING -Regular Session
Council Chambers -City Hall
December 3,1973
8:00 P.M.
1901
Members present -Councilman Bob Hill,Norman W.Johnson,Gordon Ebbert,Otto Skaug,
' .'Don Swanson and Michael Boyle.W.B.Moe was not present.
Gordon Ebbert was appointed Mayor Pro Tern for part of the meeting until Mayor Skaug arrived and took
the Chair.
Temporary Mayor Ebbert opened the meeting and called for approval of the minutes of the previous meeting
of November 27,1973..Motion by Boyle to approve the minutes as written.Second by Tohnson.Motion
carried.Hill abstained because he was not present at that meeting.
REGULAR BILLS
GENERAL
STREET
ARTERIAL STREET
URBAN ARTERIAL
WATER/SEWER
EQUIPMENT RENTAL
L.I.D.No.28
TOTAL AMOUNT PAID
>3,306.08
463.93
91.84
267.19
3,470.04
2,694.02
148.52
Motion by Johnson that the regular bills be paid.Second by Hill.Motion carried.
Warrant No's.5581 through 5637 in the amount of $10,441.62 were approved for payment.
1974 BUDGF.T -PUBLIC HEARING
Mayor Ebbert opened the Public Hearing.He explained the procedure of a Public Hearing to those in
attendance.
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City Manager Waggener stated that he wished to call attention to some changes in the 1974 Budget
that are restively minor,but they do affect the totals in the budget in balancing everything out.He
asked Rick Gagnier,Finance Director,to review thosechanges so that if there are discrepancies between
the Final and what Council has seen in the Preliminary they will have Council approval on them.
Rick Gagnier stated that in the General Fund the totals remain the same.There was a little internal
shifting.The first major change was in the Finance Department.On the Preliminary budget no capital
expenditure items were listed,and in the Final dract there is a $850 capital expenditure.Basically the
Community Development Director and Finance Director moved into the former computer room,allowing the
Computer Operator to occupy the former Finance Director's desk to provide working conditions.The capital
expenditure is to provide for one desk and credenza for the Finance Director.
In the Community Development Dept.there is approximately an $800 increase.This was an adjustment
in the 1974 salary ranges for the Department Head,and was increased in our Salary Resolution.This
adjusts the salary that he budgeted at the previous lower level..
In the Library Division we have budgeted $1500 in the Capital Outlay capacity to take cars of replacing
some chairs and some of the walls need to be repainted.
In the Miscellaneous Budget,which is also part of Finance,we have adjusted the expenditure level by
$22,854.This represents a balancing of the General Fund and the Street Fund.In the preliminary budget
revenues and expenditures were combined to balance.Now an expenditure is indicated on the General Fund
side and the revenue on the Street Fund side netting out to zero.This is to correct an oversight when the
budget was balanced initially.That $22,000 correction shews up in the Street Departmert and also the
Arterial Street was reduced by $25,000 to reflect the TOPICS grant reduction.We anticipated $25,000 in
the TOPICS Federal Grant,and it does not appear that it will be forthcoming in 1974.
The Urban Arterial Street Fund went from zero to $300.That is basically just to keep the account open.We
do not anticipate any significant revenues in this fund in 1974.•-
In the Water/Sewer Fund we had not completed entirely all the budget reviewwhen the preliminary budget was
finalized.There was little shifting of money from one area to another,but the total remains the same.
In the Fire Department we added $1400 for fire hose to replace current hose.
He mentioned that these are the only changes he is aware of.Also that the Final Budgets are not available
as yet,but will be by the end of the week.
These changes that he mentioned do not change the total in the General Fund;adjustments were made out of
the Contingency Fund.
Mayor Ebbert then called for comments from those attending the meeting.There were none.Neither were
written protests submitted.
Motion by Johnson to close the public portion of the Public Hearing.Second by Hill.Motion carried.
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City Council Meeting Minutes: 2 December3,1973
Mayor Ebbert then called for Council response.
Bob Hill responded saying there are several items in the budget that he does not agree with.In all
due respect to our City Manager his salary increase is something like 7%. I think it should be kept
in the guidelines set forth by the President of the UnitedStates to 5.5%.Also
some of the new Department Heads - I do not think should be granted the Increase in as quick a time as
has been allowed.Also I do not think we shojuld put Mr.Weaver,Head of the Department of Engineering *ona personalcar usage basis/nor do I think the City Manager should have somewhere between $165 or
$185 a month (he did not recall the exact figure).I questioned that last year thinking that Mr.Waggener
was too low on his figure of $125, but when we go up to $165 or $185 a month, I think we should look at the
books for a city car,notparticularly for the City Manager,but any other city official should have a city
marked car when he is on city business.So I don't approve the Budget the way it is.
Norm Johnson stated that the Council is not expected to vote on this tonight - not until we receive the
final draft?Also we are talking about Item 5 which is adopting the Budget and Item 7 is a Resolution,
Amending the Basic Compensation Plan. Would not Item 7 have to come ahead of the Budget?
City Manager,Chet Waggener,commented that it certainly is the Councils choice to handle it either
way.In preliminary discussion on Budget Study Sessions,which were open public meetings,it was
understood Council was in agreement on those items,therefore,it was put behind the Budget.This
expenditure is not detailed in the budget,salaries are shown in a lump sum rather in detail.The detail
that Council approves on the Salary Resolution then would be placed in the Budget and wouldthen have
that specific detail.
MayorSkaugarrived late and seated in the Council. He stated that Mr. Johnson is undoubtedly desiroifs
of Item 7 to precede the other items concerning the budget and can see no particular reason,since the
Council concurred on that Item 71n the study sessions,and suggest we consider Item 7 prior to Item 6.
No motion would be necessary,we can simply reverse the order.The Council concurred and continued
on to Item 7 -Resolution,Amending the Basic Compensation Plan.
RESOLUTION -AMENDING BASIC COMPENSATION PLAN
QlP City ManagerWaggener stated he had someitems for clarification.Two items are merely corrections of'classification.Under Park &Recreation,where it indicates Heavy Equipment Operator,the term 'Maintenanj
Man IT should apply. It does notchangethe salary, it merely changes the title.Also the classification j
•Maintenance Man'as listed should have a roman mineral "T"added.Those titles are more descriptive of
the job requirements.
Another change he mentioned was the salary schedule for the Buildinq Inspector.During previous salary
schedule discussion with Councilindicated an adjustment had been made in this category and actually it
had not been done.This salary range then should read:Entry = $896;Step A=$938;Step B = $991 and
Step C =$1070.
The City Manager also commented that as indicated to the Council previously while studying the salary
structure,there are some positions where department head's salaries are adjusted above f>e 5.5%.The
adjustment he felt was necessary after evaluating salaries in terms on what we have to pay on competitive
positions to attract people to fill the positions.We were tested in that by two vacancies this past year.W
We found that the salaries would have to be increased substantially.He also noted that all department {3G
head salaries proposed for 1974 will be in Step "B" of the salary steps,and then move to Step "C"in 1975.Q£
Norm Johnson stated that he had to concurwith Bob,that he feels we should stay withinthe 5.5%guide-^
lines.Whenwe start at the top of the line for a new man, then we are going to have to rebuild the structure W1
and add a new category so that we can give him another increase in the first month.
Chet Waggener replied that he is not sure he understands exactly what he is saying,butif he is referring
to department heads that were employed late this Summer,these were items that were brought before the
City Council and had a commitment from the City Council before we employed these people,and these
were the salary ranges that we offered them.I think it would be breaking faith with these employees that
were broughtin if we did not make those changes.'We werenot able to employ'on a lower scale than this,'
and I came to the City Council on a Special Session to get your agreement to offer those salary scales.
Norm Johnson inquired -with the stipulation that they would be raised the first of the year again?That is
correct,rrplied Chet Waggener.Gordon Ebbert commented that he was certain the majority agreed upon
that at the time.
As far as the concern about the 5.5%,the City Manager commented that the Federal Guidelines *equir.e.
the 5.5%apply to the salary schedule as a "whole,and we are well wiithin that requirement.It might.be
noted that at the time we are holding employee salaries to an averageof 5.5% other cities and other private I
agencies for that natter arc going anywhere from 7% to 9%this yeac Also you probably are aware that the
Consumer.Index increase over the last 12 months has been roughly 7„5%.
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The resolution was read by title only.Motion by Boyle that the resolution be adopted.Second by Skaug.
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City Council Meeting Minutes:3 December 3,19 73
Bob Hill commented that there are some areas that I disagree with so I will be voting against the resolution.
I don't think we should exceed the guidelines up to some 7%or beyond.
The question was called - the vote was Hill,Johnsonand Swanson opposing, and Skaug..Ebbertand Boyle
for the resolution.A 3 to 3 tie vote negates the resolution,not having a majority to either pass or void it.
Mike Boyle's,comment to those opposing the resolution was,that in all due respect,we do not take
minutes in Executive Sessions,but concerning certain individuals it was his understanding that we had
a majority vote and that we were in concurrence the Council felt that to attract personnel to fill the vacancies
as department heads recently we would probably have to go over the Entry and Steps that we had in our last
budget.I don't think you are acting in good faith; you are taking advantage of a situation.
Mayor Skaug commented- I think tie majority sustained the essence of this particular resolution and some are
now asserting themselves in this particular area and choose not to abide by the combined majority feeling
at the Special Council Session about a week or so ago.
Bob Hill stated,the first thing at the study session was to review each step.Granted it has not gone into
the Budget as yet,but we received the salary schedule the other night,which some of us disagreed with,
and really in a study session we so far give concurrence,but it has to be before a public hearing that we
decide what the salary issue,etc.,is.The Resolution lost,so I think maybe we should go back to a
study session and discuss it again.
Michael Boyle requested that another Study Session be an open meeting and that minutes be taken.
After a five minute recess,Mayor Skaug relieved Gordon Ebbert as Temporary Mayor,and made a motion
to recess this meeting until Monday,December 10th,1973 at 8:00 P.M.Second by Boyle.
Gordon Ebbert inquired if there will be a new agenda,and Mayor Skaug stated it will be basically this
same agenda.
Motion carried.
Meeting recessed at 8:50 P.M.
MAYOR"PRO TEM -Gordon M.Ebbert
MAYOR -Otto M.Ska
ATTEST:
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City Clerk,R.R.Gagni