Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 11-26-07 special minutes — reading text

ranks. He did not know of another city that has two sets of groups where current employees have one benefit and new hires have a different medical insurance benefit. Dr. Long was unaware of any cities that had a two tier approach and said the more consistent assignment and payment of benefits would be more along the lines of the 90/ 25 in terms of the market competitiveness. He acknowledged there are many sides of the issue; one is that it is an attractive benefit for an employee and on the other hand the reality of the cost is that it has been averaging 11- 12% for a number of years and is putting cities in a difficult situation. He did not know of any cities that have a two I tiered approach but many policies are implemented by grandfathering employees. He said the City is taking on a lot with the health insurance payment and as an outsider looking in they see what is being done on the outside is more along the lines of 90/25 or even no dependent coverage. He said they would like to see the City move in that direction; their intent is to try to save the City money and to be more consistent with the market. Special Council 11- 26- 07 225 STUDY cont. It was questioned if other organizations such as the County, the School Board, Sheriffs Office, have been approached to partner on insurance to increase the population base and reduce overall cost. The City Manager said a couple of years ago there was a push to try to have a consolidated effort with the County, the School Board to have a unified plan but it did not get any where. She explained the issues are that each plan has its own benefits, its own timetable renewal, and group of individuals. She said the cost may be shared but the risk is also increased. The Human Resources Director mentioned about three years ago the City Manager' s in the area and the County Manager met to try to develop a consortium to market medical insurance and one of the stumbling blocks was that there were six different plan years of the different agencies and the biggest hurdle was to get all the agencies together under one plan design and to agree on the features of the plan. Mr. Minich moved to approve the City Manager' s recommendation to change the City' s contribution percentages for medical insurance premiums for employees to 90% for individual and for dependents to 50% to in over a period of five years starting with the 2008-09 budget year. Dr. Pullen seconded phase motion. Further discussion included concern expressed with taking away a benefit and the impact to the lower salaried employees. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion and it failed by a vote of 1 to 6 with Minich in favor and Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, and Hartwell opposed. Recommendation # 12 - conduct an annual performance evaluation of the City Clerk position. ( City Manager agreed) Mr. Minich moved to approve the City Manager' s recommendation to conduct an annual performance evaluation of the City Clerk position. Mr. Hartwell seconded motion. The City Manager noted that Council would make the evaluation. Some discussion ensued on conducting performance evaluations for all Charter Officers, including the City Attorney. Dr. Long believed if they are reporting to and responsible to the Council, then the intent is that those positions have feedback in terms of their performance. Mr. Hartwell moved to amend the motion to conduct an annual performance evaluation on the City Clerk position and the City Attorney position. Mr. Miller seconded motion and it carried by a vote of 4 to 3 with Miller, Reeves, Garvie, and Hartwell in favor and Holmes, Pullen, and Minich opposed. Mr. Miller moved to amend the motion to conduct an annual performance evaluation on the City Clerk, the City Attorney,the City Manager, and the City Finance Director. Dr. Pullen seconded motion. Discussion included the belief the motion is improper because the Finance Director position was voted on earlier and an evaluation is already done on the City Manager per the contract. Mr. Miller questioned whether it is part of the Finance Director' s contract. The City Attorney acknowledged it was not and the Mayor also stated it was not part of the contract. Mr. Miller restated the motion to amend to conduct an annual performance evaluation on the City Clerk, the City Attorney, and the City Finance Director. Dr. Pullen seconded motion and it failed by a vote of 3 to 4 with Miller, Garvie, and Pullen in favor and Holmes, Reeves, Hartwell and Minich opposed. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion, as amended, to conduct an annual performance evaluation on the City Clerk position and the City Attorney position and it carried by a vote of 6 to 1 with Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor and Holmes opposed. 2 2 eecia1 Council 11- 26- 07 STUDY cont. Recommendation # 13 - explore the potential for contracting out for minutes production with a local vendor. ( City Manager disagreed). The City Manager noted there are no local vendors that provide that service at this point in time. Dr. Pullen moved that the City Clerk continue to produce the minutes. Mr. Reeves seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and I Minich in favor. Recommendation # 18 - determine an accurate level of inter fund transfers from Enterprise Funds to the General Fund. ( City Manager agreed) The City Manager noted the Finance Director disagreed with the recommendation because the City is already taking the maximum amount. She said the City needs to continue to examine transfers each year to ensure the City is transferring the maximum amount from the Enterprise Funds. Mr. Miller moved to approve the City Manager' s recommendation to continue to examine transfers to ensure we are transferring maximum amount of costs allowable. Mr. Minich seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. Recommendation # 19 - identify actual expenses for Internal Service Fund. ( City Manager disagreed). The City Manager noted both the Finance Director and she disagree with the recommendation because the Governmental Accounting Standard Board rules make this accounting concept more difficult. She said they are trying to move toward a performance budget and they are achieving a better idea of the costs associated with each department. No action taken by Council. Recommendation # 21 - eliminate one ( 1) staff position inventory control specialist in Purchasing. ( City Manager disagreed) And Recommendation # 24 - eliminate one staff position in Information Technology. ( City Manager disagreed) The City Manager suggested staff needs more time to re- evaluate and not to eliminate these positions at this time. Dr. Pullen moved to approve the City Manager' s recommendation not to eliminate one staff position inventory control specialist in Purchasing and not to eliminate one staff position in Information Technology, and to re- evaluate during the FY 2008-09 budget process. Mr. Reeves seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. Recommendation # 23 - continue existing information technology policies with periodic review for currency and adherence to modern standards. Seek to implement the five year replacement cycle ( City Manager had limited agreement) I The City Manager mentioned there is a five year plan to replace the computers but they are not always replaced in the five year plan because there is not enough money. She said limited agreement is subject to the availability of funds. No action taken by Council. Special Council 11- 26- 07 227 STUDY cont. Recommendation # 27 - require the Golf Club to generate sufficient revenue to cover all expenses. Cease to provide general fund subsidies to golf operations. ( City Manager agreed) The City Manager noted this is an on- going effort and suggested Council continue to examine golf fund revenues and seek ways to have the golf fund be fully self- supported. There was consensus of Council this is an on- going effort. Recommendation # 28 - retain greens and golf course maintenance in its current organizational structure. Develop maintenance standards. ( City Manager agreed) The City Manager noted the Golf Course Manager disagreed with the recommendation to develop maintenance standards because he believes he has them. She mentioned her only recommendation is to formalize those standards into a document. Jim Frazier, Golf Course Manager, commented there is a list of maintenance standards that are set by the Greens Superintendent and himself that are performed by the employees during the eight hour day. There was no action taken by Council. Recommendation # 29 - continue providing police services through existing personnel, less five sworn positions, rather than contracting with the Sheriff. ( City Manager disagreed). The City Manager mentioned her disagreement is subject to availability of funds and outcome of the property tax reform on City revenues and suggested re- evaluation during the FY 2008- 09 budget process. She mentioned staff has heard from Council in the past the priority placed on public safety and are not recommending any changes at this time. Ted Litschauer, Police Chief, confirmed the five positions are budgeted, and three ofthe five positions are not filled and one is frozen. The question was asked why the Sheriff' s Office could not provide the same service to the City as they do to the unincorporated areas. The Police Chief mentioned that the City is required to provide law enforcement services and if the did not have their own law enforcement agency, the City would have City to contract with the Sheriff as they provide it only for unincorporated areas or contract for reimbursement. Clarification was requested on the recommendation. Dr. Long explained the recommendation is to continue to provide services through the municipality but with fewer positions. Harvey Hall, 276 Beachview Drive, suggested that Council keep in mind that police officers have to go through internship and have to be trained. Mr. Minich moved to continue to provide police services through existing personnel as the City does now, and to re- evaluate during the FY 2008- 09 budget process. Mr. Miller seconded motion and it carried unanimouslywith Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. Recommendation # 30 - consider reallocation of an officer position to the position of C- Squared Detective. ( City Manager disagreed) The City Manager noted the Police Chief agreed with the recommendation and believes there is value in this effort. funding the position, and she did not believe they should sacrifice one of the