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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.17.82 Council Minutes 59 MINUTES COUNCIL MEETING REGULAR MAY 17, 1982 1. The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. Present: Mayor Stegmaier, Councilmembers Cook, Kelly, Kuchera, Orr. Absent: None Also Present: Administrator Ford, Attorney Gorgos. 2. Motion by Orr, second by Kelly to approve the minutes of May 3, 1982 as presented. APtF, motion carried. 3. Motion by Kuchera, second by Cook to discontinue renting a garage at 30 Elm Street for General Services and at 2nd and Spruce Streets for the Fire Department in favor of renting a combined facility for both owned by Mr. Dick Hunter located one block south of Elm Street on 2nd Street in accordance with the memorandum from General Services Superintendent Bill Hince dated May 3, 1982. APIF, motion carried. 4. Del Stapf, fire facility site selection committeemember, reported back to the Council in his ongoing negotiations with Mr. Dale Neilan. He informed the Council that Mr. Neilan would reduce the price of the option sought from $5,000 to $3,000. Upon advice of the City Attorney, the con- sensus of the Council was that this amount would be excessive. The result of the extensive discussion in this matter was that Mayor Stegmaier would personally contact Mr. Neilan and attempt to make arrangements by which the amount of the option would be reduced to $500 in return for which the City would agree to immediately proceed with a referendum seeking authority from the voters to issue bonds in the necessary purchase amount, said question to be put to the voters at the General Election on November 2, 1982. 5. Motion by Kuchera, second by Stegmaier that the City assume the entire premium increase for family coverage under the City's hospitalization group policy totaling $14 per month for all non-contract employees. APIF, motion ca r r i ed . 6. The Council authorized the preparation of ordinances concerning the following matters for their review: (a) public dances. (b) zoning ordinances, manufactured homes. (c) noise regulation. 7. Motion by Orr, second by Cook to approve the issuance of a license for a gaming device arcade at 317 Third Street to Jolene Marie Benoit. APIF, motion carried. 8. Motion by Cook, second by Orr that the Council grant a blanket approval for all of the functions in connection with Mountain Dew Days as shown on the City Administrator's memorandum dated May 12, 1982 except those activities requiring a specific permit or license which are also granted and further, that all 'fees be waived. APtF, motion carried. 60 9. Motion by Kelly, second by Orr to approve the County request for tax abatement on Parcel 14-03000-010-90, owner - Owen Pool. APIF, motion carried. 10. The Council then took up the matter of the proposed offer of employ- ment for the position of Police Chief. The Mayor asked the City Attorney for preliminary comments. The City Attorney cautioned the members of the Council that the information which had been distributed to them and was now in their possession consisted of a considerable amount of private or confidential information which should be handled cautiously to avoid viola- tion of the State Data Privacy Law. He expressed concern regarding possible liability exposure of the City in the case of unlawful disclosure of such information. Councilman Orr suggested that upon action being concluded by the Council, that all of the material distributed to the Council be returned to the City Administrator for disposal. All members of the Council agreed to this. Member Cook stated that he thought the whole process of selection was a mistake to start with and that the City could save money by promoting Sergeant Churchill, that an applicant need not be high in scoring of the oral or the written and that further~ Sergeant Churchill was the only applicant with a college degree. Motion by Kelly, second by Orr to offer employment in the position of Police Chief to Mr. Stan Whittingham. Member Cook stated that Mr. Whittingham had been shown preference by allowing him to take exams with two different cities in the same day, that his wife already draws a $25,000 per year salary at the hospital and that candidate Olson was so much better. Member Orr replied that the selection procedure had been established long ago and had been amended from time to time by the Council and that the process had produced three candidates with which he was very much impressed. Member Cook stated that he felt the decision was cut and dried. Member Orr stated that he had not talked with any other member of the Council. He asked whether any other member had done so. Every other member stated they had not. The Mayor then called the question whether an offer of employment should be made to Stan Whittingham for the position of Police Chief of Farmington. Voting for: Stegmaier, Kelly, Orr. Voting against: Cook, Kuchera. Motion carried. 11. The Council then addressed themselves to the terms of the offer of employment. Motion by Cook that an offer of salary be at $15,000. Motion died for lack of second. Further discussion followed. 12. Motion by Cook, second by Kuchera that the salary be set at $24,000. Voting for: Cook, Kuchera. Voting against: Stegmaier, Kelly, Orr. Mot i on fa i 1 ed . 13. Motion by Orr, second by Stegmaier that the salary be set at $27,000 per year. Voting for: Stegmaier, Kelly, Orr. Voting against: Cook, Kuchera. Motion carried. 14. Motion by Orr, second by Kelly that the probationary period be set at 6 months starting from the first day of duty. Voting for: Kelly, Orr. Voting against: Stegmaier, Cook, Kuchera. Motion failed. 15. Motion by Orr, second by Kelly that the starting date be set at June 7, 1982. APIF, motion carried. 61 Council minutes - May 17, 1982 - continued 16. The Mayor announced that, in response to a request which he had received by mail, he was declaring the period of May 17-22, 1982 as Market Research Week. 17. Member Kuchera referred to an Information Only memo informing the Council that an individual had been hired as a part-time temporary employee in the General Services Department. Member Kuchera asked if the individual was the same person who was earlier hired as a temporary part-time employee in the Liquor Store. The Administrator said it was not. , I 71/q~::. 18. Member Orr requested of the Chairman that he be allowed to come back to the matter of the Police Chief Selection for a short comment. He was granted permission. Member Orr stated that he hoped that in the case of this Department Head that all would get off on the right foot and that the organizational structure as shown in the approved personnel plan would be followed, that the Councilor individual members of the Council would go through the Administrator, and the'Administrator, in turn, would deal with the Department Head. Member Kuchera inquired whether or not it would be appropriate to go directly to the Department Head if the Administrator is not avai lable, to which Member Orr repl ied, "Certainly". 19. Motion by Kelly, second by Orr to approve the payment of bills as presented with the following changes: add payment to Wynn Ostlie in the amount of $920, and defer the payment to Scott Kline in the amount of $668.50. APIF, motion carried. 20. Member Orr inquired of the City Attorney of the status of the litigation in the Moench matter. The City Attorney suggested that, following the adjournment of the regular meeting, that the Council go into executive session under the lawyer-client relationship waiver to discuss that matter and also the Reisinger Development lawsuit matter. 21. Motion made and sec6nded to adjourn at 9:10 P.M. after which the Mayor announced the Council would go into executive session after a short recess. Respect/ully sUbmitt~ ~ ~' ~ ~~y: City Administrator APPROVED: & /1/P-r WJF/sz