HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/14/92CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
April 14, 1992
4:00 p.m.
Large Conference Room
Roll call: Mayor Manning, Buck, Budak, Fox, Angel and Wright.
Members absent: Brown, Dell.
The Agenda, as proposed, was approved.
Jim Rodemeyer, Personnel Director, stated that the purpose of the
work session was to discuss vacant positions that department heads
are currently requesting to fill, vacancies that are not being
requested at this time due to budgetary reasons, and the vacant
position of Human Rights Director due to the pending retirement of
B.J. Furgerson.
Mr. Rodemeyer noted that he has met on several occasions with the
Human Rights Commission on the filling of said vacancy but a
disagreement has arisen on several issues, including educational
requirements and reporting mechanism. The job description as
proposed by the Personnel Department requires a B.A. degree and
three years of experience with the director reporting to the Mayor
directly. The Commission has suggested that the education
experience level be two years of formal college education with 5
years experience or a B.A. with no experience and that the director
report to the Commission who reports to the Mayor. Mr. Rodemeyer
noted that the suggested education and experience requirements set
forth by the Commission is less than a Human Rights specialists who
the director would be supervising. He recommended that with a
lower education and experience requirement that the pay be lowered
to pay grade 63. He noted that the reporting authority for the
director has always been to the Mayor and that this was not a
change from past practice.
B.J. Furgerson, Human Rights Director, quoted from several sections
of the ordinance establishing the Human Rights Commission and
outlining the duties of the director.
In response to a question from Councilperson Buck, Gail Quirk, a
commissioner, stated that the reason for less education and
experience was to allow those individuals to apply who may have a
particular skill or skills but do not have a formal education. It
was the Commission's intent not to eliminate a well gifted
individual who may not have a B.A. degree. Commission members
noted that no particular individual was in mind during job
description development. It was noted that one of the Human Rights
specialists has a B.A. and the second has two to three years of
college education.
Mr. Rodemeyer eluded to the 1988 Waters Study done of management
positions in the city. At the time of the study, each incumbent
was asked to evaluate their job position noting their thoughts on
minimum education and requirements. This was used as a tool in
developing the minimum education requirements for each position.
Mr. Rodemeyer stated that the city has not compensated an
individual if they have more eduction than the job requires noting
that each individual is compensated for meeting the minimum
requirements and not necessarily for having more education than
required. He noted that if the Commission lowers the education and
experience requirements without decreasing the pay, it becomes very
difficult to equally compensate non -bargaining positions without a
total change in the compensation system. In response to a question
by Councilperson Wright, Mr. Rodemeyer noted that there are several
department heads who do not have the required education but were in
those positions at the time the classification study was done.
These individuals were allowed to be grandfathered in to the
position but future vacancies for said positions will require the
minimal education requirements and experience as set forth in each
job description.
City Council Work Session
April 14, 1992
Page 2
Ms. Furgerson gave a brief history of the establishment of the
Human Rights Commission and the many struggles the Commission has
had.
The issue of chain of command was discussed. It was noted that in
the past, the Mayor and City Council have overseen the financial
and personnel matters of the Commission while leaving the
enforcement of the ordinance to the Commission. Mayor Manning
stated that if he has legal responsibility for staff decisions, it
would make sense that he would also have authority over staff.
It was noted that previous administrations have gone directly to
the director for information on complaints that have been filed
with the Commission. Commissioner Martha Ward emphasized the need
of the Commission to discuss substantive issues. The Mayor
emphasized his need for authority over the director.
Councilperson Wright questioned what is wrong with the current
chain of command. Commissioner Harris Ceaser stated that often
times education is used as a tool to eliminate minorities and women
during the selection process in various city positions. He stated
that he did not want this to be an eliminating factor for the Human
Rights Director position. Councilperson Dell stated that the pay
should not be downgraded just because there is less education.
This issue may need to be further reviewed.
Councilperson Wright stated that during the selection process the
Affirmative Action Plan will be followed and that the Human Rights
Commission will be involved in this process.
Discussion was heard whether a candidate would be paid the same as
B.J.'s current salary. Mr. Rodemeyer stated that he would
recommend a salary level based upon the non -bargaining pay plan and
that experience would play a part in that determination. After
discussion, it was agreed by the Mayor, City Council and city
staff, and the Human Rights Commission that the educational and
experience requirements for the Human Rights Director be set at two
years of formal college education with eight years of comparable
experience or a B.A. degree and three years comparable experience.
The next issue to be addressed was the reporting mechanism. The
Mayor reiterated that if he was legally responsible for the actions
of the staff, he should also have authority over them.
It was further agreed that the issue of reporting be addressed with
an informal agreement that the Mayor would not intervene on
complainant items pending before the Commission. There was a
general consensus to proceed with the hiring of the director with
the above educational and experience requirements and the chain of
command established with the director reporting to the Mayor.
Councilperson Buck asked whether the issue of placing the Human
Rights Department under the direction of the Personnel Department
was an issue to be discussed. Mayor Manning stated that the
savings in personnel costs probably would not justify this
arrangement. Councilperson Fox urged that the council leave this
option open and not to pre -judge it, in light of upcoming
reorganization efforts.
Mr. Rodemeyer presented various vacancies and pending vacancies
that have been requested to be refilled by various departments
including a foreman in the Street Department, mechanic in the
Central Garage, two operator trainee positions and a laboratory
technician in Water Pollution Control, Golf Maintenance I in Park,
department head of Human Rights, police officer, Maintenance II at
the Rec Center, maintenance assistance in the Clerk/Auditor's
Office, and engineering tech. Funds are available for these
positions even with the 3.4% across the board cut imposed by the
F.Y. 1993 budget. Attachment #2 (copy of which is available in the
Clerk/Auditor's Office) are those vacancies or pending vacancies
City Council Work Session
April 14, 1992
Page 3
that are not being requested to be refilled at this time.
Discussion was heard concerning the need for various positions.
The hiring of seasonal personnel in the Parks, Recreation and
Public Works area was discussed. Seasonal employees are used to
supplement regular city workers throughout the summer months and
are a vital aspect of the city's operation. The general consensus
was to proceed with the hiring of these seasonal employees.
Councilperson Angel noted that it is ironic that the city has been
talking cuts and layoffs and now is adding positions. Mr.
Rodemeyer noted that only two positions are new but in one case one
was a contractual obligation with the Civic Center agreement.
It was agreed that department heads be allowed to proceed with
hiring the positions shown in Attachment #1 and that they not be
required to approach the Human Resources Committee for filling
except for the two new positions of maintenance assistant and the
lab tech at the Water Pollution Control Plant.
With no further business before the Council, the meeting was
adjourned at 5:40 p.m.
Larry P. Burger
City Clerk/Auditor