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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993 04-05 CCM Special Work Session MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA SPECIAL WORK SESSION APRIL 5, 1993 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council met in special work session and was called to order by Mayor Todd Paulson at 7 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor Todd Paulson, Councilmembers Dave Rosene and Kristen Mann. Also present were City Manager Gerald Splinter and Council Secretary Nancy Berg. ORGANIZATIONAL EVALUATION PROCESS The City Manager presented the organizational evaluation process. He explained the Financial Commission had been charged with the responsibility of evaluating the organization of the City of Brooklyn Center as to its effectiveness and to report back to the City Council. He further explained he had developed an outline of a process to address the City Council's interests. He stated the process would cover three areas: 1) evaluation of the potential for administrative structure reorganization; 2), evaluation of the supervisory/management and other staffing levels (using comparative data currently available); and 3) a Service Evaluation Process. The City Manager explained the prioritization process which had been completed by the Financial Commission in 1992 was an attempt to cut 10 percent of the budget. He p P g recommended completing area 3 in conjunction with the budget process. Councilmember Rosene inquired as to why the Minnesota League of Cities did not provide a city -by -city comparison of services, quality, and budgets. The City Manager answered there were a number of municipalities which did not want to be compared. He recommended networking with other cities interested in doing such a comparison. Councilmember Mann stated the goal would be to improve services in a cost - effective manner. Councilmember Rosene stated he and Mayor Paulson had attended the Hennepin County Town Meeting, and he explained the purpose of the meeting was to receive input from cities and municipalities before preparing the 1994 budget. He proposed the City of Brooklyn Center also hold a town meeting to receive input from residents early in the 4/5/93 - 1 - budget process. He suggested the following service evaluation questions be asked of the residents: What do we do well and why? What do we do okay and why? What needs improvement? How /why? How can we provide services better? Are we doing the right things? The City Manager suggested the questions could also be used in the form of a survey. Councilmember Rosene stated a survey would cost money, and a town meeting would not. He added a town meeting would also involve more people who are knowledgeable in city matters. The City Manager offered to provide Council with a copy of the survey which was completed in 1989. Councilmember Mann asked if the purpose of the town meeting would be for input for the budget. Councilmember Rosene answered yes, and he would like to ask residents at the meeting which services they would like to increase or to continue to support. Councilmember Mann asked how large a turn out to expect at a town meeting. The City Manager answered it would depend on the subject and the date. He added the average turn out was 50 to 75 residents with 100 in attendance at the town meeting on crime. Councilmember Mann recommended the town meeting be held before Memorial Day. Mayor Paulson agreed, but also suggested the town meeting could be held during the summer combining it with Entertainment in the Parks. Councilmember Mann agreed and added a good band would help increase the number of people in attendance. The City Manager explained if the Council was going to use public input, the most valid way was through a survey. He further explained Council could still have a town meeting, but the P g survey would provide more of a cross - section of the community. Mayor Paulson asked what the cost of a survey would be. The City Manager offered to provide Council with an estimate. He also stated the Council had previously discussed doing a community -wide survey about every four or five years. Councilmember Rosene explained a town meeting served a different purpose providing an outlet for residents who want to be vocal. He suggested the City do both. Mayor Paulson explained the survey would be for broad information, and the town meeting would be for depth. Councilmember Mann agreed it would be wise to pursue a survey and reminded the City Manager to investigate the expense. 4/5/93 -2- The City Manager asked the Council to review the three areas. He explained he wanted to forward the outline and the Councils' comments to the Financial Commission for their review. Mayor Paulson agreed with looking at area 1 first, area 2 second, and area 3 last. Councilmember Mann asked if the Financial Commission had done this already. The City ` Manager explained the Financial Commission had looked at each position in the City, but they did not look at the structure itself. Mayor Paulson suggested leaving the outline open - ended allowing for any additions by the Financial Commission. The City Manager reviewed a proposed, rough draft administrative organizational chart. Councilmember Mann asked the City Manager if he anticipated the need for additional staff if going with three divisions. The City Manager answered he did not know at that time, but combining the police and fire departments would be very difficult. Mayor Paulson stated he liked the draft, but added he did not want to add another layer of management. The City Manager recommended Council look at the overall administrative organization, and wait until areas 1 and 2 had been completed. Councilmember Mann suggested looking at what the City could do more cost - effectively by combining services with other cities. Councilmember Rosene explained Council must first analyze what the City does well and what it needs to improve on. The City Manager explained the City really needs two reporting systems: one accounting orientated, and the other more program or service orientated. Councilmember Rosene asked how Council should proceed. The City Manager stated area 1 would be easier to work on while at the same time collecting and preparing data for areas 2 and 3. Mayor Paulson agreed explaining the first area was more of a philosophical one and suggested reviewing other city structures. He further explained area 1 would help to define areas 2 and 3. He recommended any position elimination be accomplished when an opportunity presents itself over time. The City Manager agreed this could be set up as a goal. Councilmember Mann suggested setting a policy for no additional employees. The City Manager agreed this could be the result of the organizational evaluation process. He explained the area of public safety could be very sensitive especially with a volunteer fire department. Councilmember Rosene stated he may not be able to attend the Fire Department Appreciation Night. He asked to be provided with a roster of people who are on the volunteer fire department prior to the appreciation dinner. The City Manager asked Mayor Paulson if he was comfortable with the organizational evaluation process. Mayor Paulson answered yes and further stated he would like to frame area 1 first and as soon as possible. The City Manager stated he would like a rough draft of the structure and then as we look at areas 2 and 3 and evaluate the information it would test preliminary conclusions on area 1. Councilmember Rosene asked who would develop 4/5/93 - 3 - such a draft. The City Manager answered the Financial Commission would be a good resource. Mayor Paulson suggested if the analysis showed a department did not need a particular position, the position be frozen until it could be eliminated. The City Manager asked if the Council wanted to proceed with the organizational evaluation process. Councilmember Mann answered yes and further stated in the meantime the Council could provide the City Manager with their suggestions. She asked when the Financial Commission was scheduled to meet. The City Manager answered on April 12, 1993. He added if the Councilmembers needed any charts worked up on the computer, Sharon in his office would be a good resource. Councilmember Rosene stated severance pay in the private sector was based on one week's pay for each year of service. He further explained the Council had provided Mr. Shalleross and Ms. Larson with two months' severance pay. He asked if this amount was fair. The City Manager answered yes. The City Manager offered to update Councilmembers Scott and Kalligher on the organizational evaluation process and to also provide an analysis and information on a city- wide survey and town meeting to be held before Memorial Day. Councilmember Mann stated she would like to check further into municipal bonds because there were a number of park improvements and fire stations that needed upgrading. The City Manager explained Council would be receiving this information as part of the budget under the Capital Improvements Program and EDA. Councilmember Mann asked if Brooklyn Center had a good rating for bonds. The City Manager answered yes. Mayor Paulson asked the City Manager to provide a roster of every full -time employee plus the fire department. The City Manager agreed to provide as soon as possible. DISCUSSION OF SIZE OF MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSIONS The City Manager presented the discussion of size of membership of commissions for the Council's discussion. Councilmember Mann wanted to know the reason for adding more members to the commissions. Councilmember Rosene explained the reason he raised this issue was because of the 18 or 19 applicants for the Planning Commission. He continued to explain he wanted to involve these people at the commission level. He further explained the Human Rights & Resources Commission had so many issues coming before it there were not enough people to handle all of the functions. He added if the commissions could benefit by having more members, he recommended involving more people. Councilmember Mann asked if Councilmember Rosene was recommending more members for the Human Rights & Resources Commission only. Councilmember Rosene explained this was the commission he was involved with so he did not know if the other commissions 4/5/93 -4- needed more members. He stated the City would benefit by increasing all commission memberships to nine members. Councilmember Mann explained she did not feel the Council was following its own resolutions concerning commission appointments. She stated that qualifications, geographic representation, and gender guidelines had been ignored in the past. She further stated she could only assume this would be a play for the Mayor to appoint more stooges. Councilmember Rosene explained he had found himself in hot water at the DFL meeting when he voted for the first motion. He explained he had voted with Councilmembers Mann and Kalligher, and he had taken a lot of heat ever since. Councilmember Mann stated if Councilmember Rosene could show that each one of the individuals on the Human Rights & Resources Commission were actually following up on these different areas, she would be willing to give more consideration to increasing the size of the Human Rights & Resources Commission. Councilmember Rosene explained there was no one following up on transportation at that time. He further explained there was one applicant for the Planning Commission who dealt with transportation, and if he could be appointed to the Human Rights & Resources Commission the whole City would benefit. She stated she acknowledged transportation is an important issue, lateral service through the community and between communities. She further stated right now low income residents cannot get to doctor appointments or medical care. Councilmember Mann agreed there were many residents wishing to become involved, and she recommended limiting the commission terms and allowing commission members to move to premier commissions at the end of their terms. Mayor Paulson stated he did not believe any of the commissions were premier commissions. Councilmember Mann explained the Planning Commission had the power to hold public hearings. The City Manager stated the Human Rights & Resources Commission at its next meeting would be discussing whether there was a need for additional membership. Councilmember Mann stated she was very interested to know what they decide and if a majority of commissions were in favor of increasing, she would be more than willing to discuss increasing commission size. Councilmember Rosene explained he was not trying any kind of political ploy. Councilmember Mann suggested sending a statement to all commissions asking for their input. The City Manager agreed to provide Council with a draft statement to send to commission members. Councilmember Mann asked that citizen applications be made available to the public. The City Manager stated they were public and were available. Councilmember Mann also asked that all applicants be present at the Council meeting so Councilmembers could ask the applicants questions. 4/5/93 -5 - The City Manager asked if the Council wanted the matter to come back to the Council as a discussion item after receiving input from the commission members. The consensus of the Council was yes. Mayor Paulson stated there would be benefit to having uniformity in the commissions. He said he preferred to include people rather than exclude people. He agreed each commission should be polled. The City Manager agreed to poll all commissions with a membership less than nine. Councilmember Rosene stated he agreed with term limitation suggestions. Councilmember Mann asked if a bus shelter was slated for 58th and Major. She also asked if it would be possible to build a pedestrian bridge across the roadway as there were many seniors in this area. The City Manager explained putting a pedestrian bridge across the roadway would double the distance to get across the road. He further explained citizens generally take the shortest route directly across the street unless it is completely fenced. Councilmember Mann asked when the MTC would be discussing the use of hubs and changing the bus routes in the community. Mayor Paulson answered they were discussing the hubs now, dial -a -ride in the future, and a survey of future stops was just completed. He further explained when routes are changed, people may be upset, but the MTC must focus on an effective, overall transportation system. He noted the City Council would probably have to override some public criticism to accomplish needed route changes. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Councilmember Rosene and seconded by Councilmember Mann to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The Brooklyn Center City Council adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Deputy City Clerk Todd aulson, Mayor Recorded and transcribed by: Nancy Berg Timesaver Off Site Secretarial 4/5/93 -6-