02-19-88 Safety Comm Minutes,Safety/Personnel & Policy 4:00 PM February 19, 1988
The meeting was attended by Mayor Kennedy, Council members Atkinson, Furlong, Saverud,
Haffernan and Robinson as well as Fire Chief Larson, Assistant Chief Waggener, City
Attorney Neier and Clerk/Treasurer Halver
1. City Committees and Boards
Mayor Kennedy presented a list of members of City Committees and Boards with
expiration dates assigned to each position. He asked the committee to recommend
approval of the list with the expiration dates assigned.
After discussion of the list of committees, Councilman Atkinson recommended the
adoption of the list be tabled so the status of the Hockaday and Conrad Mansion Boards
be researched. He also asked if the Airport Board should be deleted.
2. Personnel Files
Mayor Kennedy asked that a policy be established for how long reprimands should be
kept in personnel files. He requested they be retained for ever.
Councilman Saverud moved the committee recommend to the council that all items entered
into an eployee's personnel file be retained permanently. Councilwoman Robinson
seconded.
Councilwoman Robinson moved the material in the file only be used for three years.
There was no second.
The motion of Councilman Saverud carried.
3. Ambulance Overtime - Fire Department Management
The committee members reviewed City Attorney Neier's report.
Councilwoman Hafferman said she did not feel the Fire Department Administrators should
not be paid overtime.
Councilman Saverud asked if Duane was being ccupensated as Fire Chief/Ambulance
Administrator or not and Councilman Atkinson asked who handled the Ambulance
accounting. Halver said Kathy Kola does the ambulance billing, the city has not
charged the Ambulance Fluid for any administrator salaries.
Councilman Furlong compared the Ambulance overtime with the extracurricular activities
for which teachers receive additional pay at a different rate than the teaching
contract rate.
Furlong suggested the Ambulance Pay be addressed in an addendum to the union contract.
Saverud felt an addendian was necessary to address the issue and have something to hang
your hat on. He wondered why the Fire Department was the only city department where
the management could earn overtime and he felt it all one function, one part of the
management's job.
City Attorney Neier said he thought the addendum was a workable solution, but probably
a completely separate agreement would work better.
Councilman Atkinson said he was uncomfortable with only the Fire Department management
being paid overtime.
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Safety/Perscamel & Policy 4:00 PM February 19, 1988
It
City Attorney Neier explained fire protection is a governmental function and ambulance
services are a prcprietory operation and the paying of salaries for working for the
ambulance separate fran firefighters compensation is acceptable.
Saverud suggested considering detend nation of an average amount and add to the salary
with the management then taking whatever Ambulance calls they may receive.
Halver attempted to explain that the overtime they earn is not for Administrative
callback, they are simply filling for any rank of fireman which may have been called
away by the Ambulance call.
Atkinson suggested an addendum. to the Administrator's ccaitracts giving then a rate
equivalent to a predetermined firefighters rate.
Assistant Chief Waggener said they had offered to use the rate of the highest paid
union employee. He also thought the union was discussing a flat rate for ambulance
callback.
Waggener and Atkinson briefly discussed the present funding of the Ambulance Service.
Waggener said the Ambulance Service asked for a rate increase two years ago which had
never been acted upon.
Larson pointed out the city is receiving the benefit of having Firefighters on call at
no charge because they are carrying radios so they can respond to Ambulance Callbacks.
Larson explained the ambulance rates and said they are among the lowest in the State.
Councilman Saverud moved that the Personnel and Policy Carmi.ttee Chairman work with
the City Attorney to draft a model addendum as soon as possible for canmittee
consideration. Councilwoman Robinson seconded.
Larson asked if this would solve the conflict over management receiving overtime.
Saverud and Atkinson both thought it would satisfy their objections.
Atkinson said the addendum would compensate then for staying within the callback
roster.
The motion carried.
Saverud said his motion did not intend to exclude the mayor fran the discussion.
Atkinson said they would meet at 4:00 pm., Tuesday.
Ambulance Rate Increase
The carudttee agreed a rate increase should be requested from the appropriate
committee and the council.
The meeting adjourned at 5:45 pm.
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