PUBLIC NOTICE
AKELEY CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
April 3, 2008
6:00 PM CITY HALL
AGENDA
1. Call Meeting to Order
2. Tennis Court Money
3 Employee Pay Raises & Personnel Policy # 11
4. Personnel Policy # 9 – Travel Time for Training
5. Summer Beach Patrol - Reserves
6. Water/Sewer Connection Charges
7. Adjourn
AKELEY CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
APRIL 3, 2008
6:00 PM CITY HALL
The Akeley City Council met in a work session Thursday, April 3,
2008 at 6:00 PM. Tom Moore called the meeting to order. Members
present were Tom Moore, Eric Sjolin, Brian Hitchcock, Frank Lamb and
Cliff Johnson. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by the Council
and attending audience.
No one from the C&C was present to discuss the tennis court money
which Roger Curtis had brought up at the March 12th
Council Meeting. Some discussion was held and council members
agreed that the money had been ear marked for tennis courts and a
basketball court but more money is needed for this type of project.
Denise Rittgers stated that the definition for “full-time employee”
in the Employee Handbook will have to be redefined to make it
clearer. Currently full-time employee is defined as, “An employee
who is normally scheduled for an average of at least 32 hours per
week and is eligible for benefits”. Denise would like to see it
changed to say, “An employee who is scheduled for 32 hours or more
per week and is eligible for benefits”.
Denise Rittgers presented pay raise information to the Council which
showed what each employee would get if given a 2%, 3% or 4% raise.
She compiled this information at the Council’s request due to the
changes with employee raises that need to take place in reference to
pay equity. Denise stated that a lot of other cities will give a
percentage raise across the board to all employees at a time of year
designated by the Council. The Council thought July would be a good
time of year for the percentage raise to be given and will have to
decide yet what the percentage will be. Personnel Policy #11 will
have to be updated to remove the pay steps and any other information
that is affected by changes regarding percentage raises.
Brian Hitchcock brought up the topic of benefits such as vacation
and sick time accrual for part time employees since it states in the
Employee Handbook that part-time employees do not receive these
benefits. He stated he knows the City didn’t budget for it but
wondered if the Council would want to look at whether or not
part-time employees would be able to accrue vacation and sick time.
Currently Greg Everett receives benefits as a part-time employee and
was hired under those terms approximately eight years ago. The City
Attorney had advised the Council that the City, in order to be fair
to all part-time employees would have to give the same benefit to
all of them or there could be a problem with discrimination. Greg
Everett asked the Council what was going to happen to all of the
vacation and sick time he has accrued. The Council will have to
decide at the next Council Meeting.
Personnel Policy #9 will have to be updated to address whether an
employee should be paid for time spent traveling to Council approved
training. This currently is not covered and needs to be clarified.
Information had been obtained from other cities in Minnesota from
the Clerks List Serve and of 12 cities that responded, 10 of the
cities pay travel time and 2 do not.
Discussion was held regarding having the Akeley Police Reserves
perform beach patrol this summer. Information was provided showing
what it would cost to pay the reserves minimum wage at 4 or 5 hours
a day every day from the Friday of Memorial Weekend to the Monday of
Labor Day. Travis Carlson was present from the Akeley Police
Reserves to answer any questions the Council may have. He stated
that Police Chief Eric Klein has applied for two grants in hopes
that the grants could help pay for this service to the park and
beach area. Various comments were made about the benefits to having
the police reserves doing beach patrol.
Discussion was held regarding water and sewer connection fees.
There have been a few inquiries about the cost of hooking up to city
water and sewer for the first time. Since the Basic Code was
adopted by the Council in 2005 to replace the previous ordinances,
clarification is needed for City employees to provide accurate
information to the people who are questioning the costs of hooking
up to City water and sewer. Frank Thelin stated that the City does
not do the excavating but is to be present while the work is being
done and the City provides the first water meter. Suggestions are
to charge $300.00 for water connection and $200.00 for sewer
connection. Frank Thelin is going to get more information from
other cities and Denise Rittgers will look into the assessment
process.
Motion
by Tom Moore seconded by Frank Lamb and carried to adjourn.
Denise
Rittgers
Clerk/Treasurer
City of
Akeley
Wendy
Klein
Deputy
Clerk
City of
Akeley
