08/06/2002 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 8/6/21)02 administrative positions? The city planner and the environmental specialist aze not worth the loss of police, fire, crossing guards, snow removal and sanitary services. This is a time of crisis when we aze trying to reduce the budget. We know that we are going to have to reduce the budget by almost three times what we did this yeaz, why aze we looking to create positions? Those positions may be needed, but not at this time. We have to look at the future. Jobs have been condensed and employees have worked hazder. They would like the administration to work harder. The EPA does not require an environmental specialist, but they do require a Class III operator. We have two Class III operators. We have a head chemist with a master's in bio-chemistry, and she has a Class III license. Why can't these people do that job (environmental specialist) until money is freed up? The WWTP has dedicated funds that cannot be crossed over into general funds. All the funds azen't being used, so why don't we take some of the employees from the service garage and transfer them down to the plant? They can do the jobs of going through and cleaning out the ditches. They would also give additional manpower during snow removal season. He has sat in Council's seat both as a Planning Commission member and as a Board of Education member. These decisions aze not easy. He asks, in this financial crisis, that Council not create positions that are not needed. Councilman Gareau said Mr. Herbster's comments towazd Ordinance 99-126 and the environmental specialist legislation are well taken. When the position of the Director of Planning was first conceived, it was 1999. Obviously, the financial picture was not as it is today. When this was discussed eazlier this year, the financial picture was not then what it is now. He intends to proceed with the vote, but he does not intend the fill the position. We don't have the money to fill it. We aze not going to remove people so as to take money and create new administrative level jobs. That is not going to happen now or in the foreseeable future. The community can improve on what is being built here. When the clouds lift some day and the economic picture improves, he wants the city to be in a position to fill that position. When it is filled, it won't be because other employees have been laid off. That is not going to happen-that is not his intent. He cannot speak to the issue of environmental specialist that legislation came from the executive branch. He wishes we could fill the planning position as it would be an invaluable asset to the community, but we cannot fill it. Janet Saringer, 23336 Stoneybrook Drive, said Ordinance 99-126 is a good idea and she supported it a couple of years ago. Rather than put all of Council on the spot tonight due to the financial condition of the city, she thinks it would be much better if Council put it back into committee. Council has had ordinances in committee for years and, when ready to come out, they were brought out. She does not see the harm of leaving it in committee rather than voting on it tonight. 17