Minutes of
The Special Price City Council Meeting
City Hall:
Price, Utah
November
16, 2005, 5:00 p.m.
Present:
Mayor Joe L. Piccolo Joanne Lessar,
City Recorder
Councilmembers: Pat Larsen,
Finance Director
Betty P. Wheeler Nick
Sampinos, City Attorney
Richard Tatton Gary
Sonntag, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Jeanne McEvoy Nick
Tatton, Community Director
John
Daniels, Human Resource Director
Bret Cammans, Customer Services Director
Aleck Shilaos, Chief of Police
Excused:
Councilmember Stephen L. Denison
Councilmember Mae
Aguayo
Others
Present:
Councilmember Elect Kathy Hanna-Smith Councilmember
Elect Jeff Nielson
1. WORKSHOP
The Council met to receive an overview of Human Resources
and to discuss the realignment of departments and assignments.
A Christmas gift card in lieu of the gift certificates that
have been previously issued to employees at Christmas time was discussed. The gift card would be much easier to process
for both the Accounting Department and the local vendor. MOTION. Councilmember Tatton moved that the gift
cards be used and that they be in increments of $25 for boardmembers, $30 for
part time employees and $50 for full time employees. Motion seconded by Councilmember McEvoy and
carried.
John Daniels presented and discussed graphs and profiles for
the following topics. They represent
issues that he has dealt with since he became Human Resource Director, items
that have been improved and what he forsees in the future.
Exit Interviews
* Lack of future promotions
* Lack of skilled supervisors
* Great benefits
* +/- Compensation
Escalating Employment Costs
Improvements
* Added EAP benefit
* Improved Fire Department compensation
* Promotion system
* Supervisory training
Future Challenges
* Improvement in the job market
* Attracting and retaining employees
Potential Policy Changes
* Clarify the Benefit Extension Policy to indicate
provisions of a Medicare
Supplement vs.
continued insurance
* Performance management ratings in PPP Manual do not match
our
Performance
Management Form
* Sexual Harassment Policy needs to expand to all forms of
harassment
* Eliminate references to Apermanent@ employees
* Eliminate educational assistance from the policy
(affordable)
* Add emergency pay policy of 1.5 times regular pay
Other Possible Efforts/Initiatives
* Add a benefits council
November 16, 2005
* Increase personal choice holidays but retain total holiday
number (for example,
trade Veterans Day
for an additional Personal Choice Day)
* Flexible work schedules (various possibilities)
* Total compensation training
* Continue supervisory and leadership development
* Continue employee participation
* Increase communication
John Daniels discussed the turnover rate for this year,
which is double the Year 2004. He
presented a chart on wages vs. the poverty level in Carbon County and where
city employees fall on the chart. He
also presented an employee age profile chart and charts on years of service and
projected retirements.
Councilmember Tatton discussed realignment of the Parks and
Cemetery Departments. Several years ago,
the Parks and Cemetery were one department.
It was changed and over the past several years, a supervisor was
assigned to both departments. He felt it
would be advantageous to combine the Parks, Cemetery and Grounds into one
department. He also suggested looking at
placing Building Services and the cement crew under the Streets Department.
Councilmember Tatton also suggested combining the
departments that fit together in nature, such as recreation, the pool, ball
fields, and the Peace Garden, and assigning one department to handle all of
them. He questioned the Library and if
it would fit in with recreation. Gary
Sonntag supported the suggestion and felt that there would be a better job
focus on departments, it would economize, there would be more specialization
and better service. One supervisor would
assign all job duties, such as one
person repairing sprinklers, another mowing lawns, etc. Councilmember Tatton felt that such a move
would also reduce the need for temporary/seasonal employees each year from 5 to
3.
Mayor Piccolo recommended that this concept be researched
further. Councilmember Tatton agreed and
recommended if it is approved, that the process be ready to proceed by July 1st,
which is the new budget year. Mayor
Piccolo recommended forming a committee to review it. Councilmember McEvoy
recommended moving the Parks and Cemetery work force as well as their equipment
to the BLM property.
Gary Sonntag spoke of a recent visit he made to another city
where they handled everything in one central location, such as grave opening
permits, park rentals, etc., or other such things that the Cemetery or Parks
Department handles. The BLM property could
also be used to park city vehicles. This
would, however, increase travel in the neighborhood. He suggested exiting at the back of the
property through the ball fields at 11th East.
MOTION. Councilmember McEvoy
moved that the Personnel Committee along with staff be authorized to move
forward to consolidate, realign and reorganize.
Motion seconded by Councilmember Tatton and carried.
Meeting
adjourned at 6:53 p.m.
APPROVED:
ATTEST: Joe L. Piccolo,
Mayor
City
Recorder