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Home My WebLink About2003 [02] Feb 12 I I I February 12, 2003 Page 1 of 1 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in special session on Tuesday, February 12, 2003 at 5:00 PM in the St. Joseph City Hall. I Members Present: Mayor Larry Hosch. Councilors AI Rassier, Gary Utsch, Dale Wick, Ross Rieke. Administrator Judy Weyrens. City Office Orqanization: Weyrens requested the Council consider appointing an Assistant Administratdr. In the past the Finance Officer functioned as the Deputy Clerk and with the turn over in staff and changing of duties, the Council should determine how to designate the position. Weyrens stated that at the present time there is no backup if she is out of the office. Hosch and Rassier stated it is important to have an I Assistant Administrator to relieve the Administrator and provide direction in her absence. Rieke stated I that he would accept the recommendations of the Administrator and supports the promotion from within. I Weyrens requested authorization to promote Mary Generous from Administrative Assistant to Assistant Administrator and compensate Generous at the same level as the Police Sergeant. I I I I , Rassier made a motion authorizing Weyrens to negotiate with Generous the promotion to Assistant Administrator and compensating Generous on the same pay scale as the Police Sergeant. The motion was seconded by Rieke and passed unanimously. Adiourn: The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 5:45 PM c~~~ I I THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK I I I I I I February 12, 2003 Page 1 of2 I Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in special session on Tuesday, February 12, 2003 at 6:00 PM in the St. Joseph City Hall. I ' Members Present: Mayor Larry Hosch. Councilors AI Rassier, Gary Utsch, Dale Wick, Ross Rieke. Administrator Judy Weyrens. ' City Representatives Present: City Attorney Tom Jovanovich, Police Chief Pete Jansky. Others Present: Dave Mortenson, Jim Marthaler, Pam Olson. I Mayor Hosch called the meeting to order and stated the purpose of the meeting is to listen to the I concerns of AFSCME regarding the recent abolishment of the position Police Administrative Assistant and creation of the position Police Receptionist/Secretary. The Council previously received a letter from AFSCME requesting the Council reconsider the qualifications placed on the new position as the curren! Police Administrative Assistant does not meet the qualifications. ! AFSCME Business Agent Dave Mortenson questioned the rationale in creating a new position for , support services in the Police Department. Mortenson stated that the current employee, Pam Olson, has been functioning in the capacity of Administrative Assistant for well over one year and has been told she must reapply for her position. Mortenson stated that he is unaware of any performance issues and Olson has been waiting for the position to become full time. At this time is does not seem fair to Olson to make her reapply for her position. Mortenson stated that he understands the City has to review job descriptiÖns and make sure that they are accurate, but questions the motive behind the issue before them at this time. I Hosch stated that the Council on December 4, 2002 agreed to create a full time support position for thb Police Department. The approval was contingent upon the creation of a job description along with ! ,minimum qualifications. The position title of the part time employee was Administrative Assistant which normally includes some management. Since this position is not supervisory, the correct title should be Secretary/Receptionist. The job description and pay scale are similar to those of the same position in' ~~. I Rassier concurred with Hosch and stated the City is in the process of restructuring and trying to makel sure the position titles and pay match that of the position. The Gity does anticipate and welcome Olson to make application for the new position and if she meets the minimum standards she would be retained full time. Rassier stated that this has been a difficult decision for the Council and he believes they need (0 follow through with the job description as it has been written. ' , Mortenson again questioned why the Council would not want to retain the current employee as she h~S been trained and certified on the police software. In addition Olson has completed numerous training courses and certifications. To change employees at this time would be costly. If the employee has bi3en performing, and he is not aware of anything to the contrary, then why is the City pushing to terminate ~his employee? ; I Hosch stated that the City is being very upfront about the hiring and is giving Olson every opportunity to fill the newly created position. The City is not questioning the ethics or performance of the past I employee. The City created a job description for a position that is needed and when a job descriptior\ is created the person must be removed or you are building a position around a person. Hosch again stated that Olson is encouraged to apply and if the minimum standards are met then she would be retained: Utsch concurred with Hosch and Rassier and stated that the City Council is e~trusted to make decisi10ns for the residents of the City and sometimes hard decisions must be made. This is one of those decisions. The City must hire the best qualified person for the vacant position and is not in a position to create it job for a specific person. He further stated that he understands the City will incur training costs if Olson IS not retained, but that is part of the creation of a new position. Utsch questioned why if the employee has been working for 2 Y. years have her typing skills not improved. I , February 12, 2003 Page 2 of2 Olson spoke on her own behalf. She stated that most of the typing she does is data entry on forms and you cannot build speed with that sort of typing. Olson further stated that she does very little letter typing and the Officers complete their own long form reports. Police Chief Pete Jansky stated that the new position will be responsible for transcribing all Officers statements as they will be dictated. The change of office procedure is one of the needs that created a full time position. Transcribing statements does require a certain skill level and typing skills. Both of which Olson currently does not possess. Mortenson again objected to the Council's decision to advertise for the new position. Mortenson stated in his opinion the new job description was written to get rid of an employee that has no known performance issues. The union is ready and will grieve the new position of Olson is not hired. Mortenson stated in his opinion the new job description is the same as the old one with the only change adding the category minimum qualifications. Mortenson stated that Olson was willing to go to school and when she asked the Chief about what time she should arrange classes, he did not respond. Therefore Olson did not go to school to advance her skills. City Attorney Tom Jovanovich objected to comments of Mortenson. The job descriptions are different as the procedure for Officers is changing. Currently the Officers type their own long forms and the Police Chief will be changing this practice. The Officers will be required to dictate all their statements and forms and they will be transcribed by the full time secretary. Dictating is a specialized skill that requires training and speed. Jovanovich stated that the Council could offer Olson the position on a probationary period. The probationary period would include testing of skills at certain time intervals. Mortenson questioned what the probationary period would include and if Olson would be allowed to retain her first day of employment for the purposes of calculating benefits. Jovanovich responded that if Olson is retained she wouid be required to enter into an Employment Agreement that would state that she is a probationary employee and can be discharged for any reason. Further, the probationary clause would preclude AFSME from grieving should Olson not be retained. Hosch made a motion to offer Olson the position of Police Secretary/Administrative Assistant with the following contingencies: 1. Employment will be at-will and follow the guidelines of a probationary employee for a period of six months. 2. Olson will be compensated on the wage scale for the position of Secretary/Administrative Assistant and will be placed at the step closet to her current wage. 3. For the purposes of determining benefils only, the City will use her original date of employment. 4. Before the end of the six month probationary period, Olson must meet or exceed the minimum qualifications of the new position. Further, Olson will be tested every two months to assure she is making progress towards achieving the minimum qualifications. 5. Olson will enter into an agreement with the City of St. Joseph outlining the terms and conditions of employment, including the items listed above. The motion was seconded by Rassier and passed unanimously. Adiourn: Wick made a motion to adjourn at 7:00 PM: seconded by Rassier and passed unanimously. ~1:P~ I I I I I I I I I February 12, 2003 Page 1 ¡of 1 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council and Planning Commission for the City of St. Joseph met in special session on Wednesday, February 12, 2003 at 7:00 PM in the St. Joseph City Hall. , i Members Present: Mayor Larry Hosch. Councilors AI Rassier, Dale Wick, Ross Rieke, Gary Utsch. I Administrator Judy Weyrens. ' I I City Representatives Present: City Attorney Tom Jovanovich, Planning Consultant Cynthia Smith-Strack. Others Present: S. Kara Hennes, S. Phylis Plantenberg St. Joseph Zonina Ordinance Public Hearinq: Mayor Hosch and Planning Commission Chair Utsch opened the public hearing at 7:15 PM and stated the purpose of the hearing is to accept public input on the adoption of a revised Zoning Ordinance. The Zoning Ordinance assigns rules and regulations for I land uses, defines certain terms, establishes procedures for the approval and recording of land uses, I establishes land use districts and identifies permitted and special uses allowed within each district, adópts an official map, includes provisions for a shoreland overlay district, outlines the process for amendments to this ordinance and prescribes penalties for violations. The revisions to Ordinance 52 included the following: · Updated definitions. · Board of Appeals - Clarification on establishment and responsibility · Variances - Clarification on process · Interim Uses - Adds provision for such and defines process , · Rezoning Amendments - Clarifies process ! · Non-Conforming Uses - Includes a provision for lots of record that would normally be conside(ed un-buildable. · Expanded PUD section , · General Requirements/Parking provisions - Inclusion of curb cut regulations · Additional parking lots standards · Revision of special and temporary signs · Expanded accessory building restrictions · Inclusion of outdoor storage regulations · General Building/Lot Restrictions - Added considerable language for exterior requirements · Independent Sewage Treatment Systems provisions. · Provisions for moving of buildings · Prohibits dispensing of alcohol at adult entertainment establishments · Adds an Ordinance regulating Home Occupations · Additional requirements for kennels in Agricultural zoning districts. · Added yard cover minimum requirements for all zoning districts · Removed PURD and Special Use Permit for R3 development. Also increased the maximum height to 40'. · Removed the existing RM, Mobile Home Park Zoning District and modified Ordinances as required by State Statute. · Revised provisions in all zoning districts and added a B3 and Public Zoning District. I · Added the following Ordinances: Surface Water Management; Land Preservation and Woodland Protection; Shoreland Overlay District. Wick made a motion to adjourn at 9:10p.m. A motion was seconded by Utsch and passed unanimously. ~Z~ ~s~rator I THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK I I