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19810414 City Council Minutes234 April 7, 1981 - continued • There was no further business to come.before the Council, and the meeting adjourned at 10:25 p.m. IRENE VARNEY M RAN, Cit Clerk April 14, 1981 - Work Meeting HARVE H. HARRISON, Mayor The regular meeting of the Edmonds City Council was called to order at 8:40 p.m: by Mayor Harve Harrison in the Council Chambers of the Edmonds Civic Center. All present joined in the flag salute. PRESENT Harve.Harrison, Mayor Jo -Anne Jaech Ray Gould Larry Naughten Kathy Geiermann, Student.Rep. Bill Kasper, Mary Goetz Katherine Allen CONSENT AGENDA ABSENT STAFF PRESENT. John Nordquist Fred Herzberg, Public Works Director Jim Adams, City Engineer Irene Varney Moran, City Clerk Mary Lou Block, Planning Director Art Housler, Finance Director Wayne Tanaka, City Attorney Jackie Parrett, Deputy City Clerk Councilman Kasper asked ;that the minutes be amended on page 4, in the third paragraph, in his remarks at the end of the fourteenth line, adding after the word "apartments" the words "as primary use". COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN.MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN KASPER, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, WITH THE STATED AMENDMENT TO THE MINUTES. MOTION•CARRIED. The -approved items on the Consent Agenda included the following: (A) Roll call. (B) Approval of Minutes of April 7, 1981, as amended. (C) Acknowledgment of receipt.of Claim for Damages from Eugene S. Jensen in the amount of $545.00. MAYOR Mayor Harrison read aloud a proposed.resolution commending Judie Gilbo for her service to the City, after which COUNCILMAN NAUGHTEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN, TO PASS RESOLUTION 494, COMMENDING JUDIE GILBO. MOTION CARRIED. Mayor Harrison announced that the nonrepresented, nonexempt employees had voted today 24 to 4 in favor of becoming unionized. PROPOSAL FOR CONSULTANT REGARDING UTILITY BILLING FUNCTION Finance Director Art Housler stated that a new utility billing system had been instituted in January of this year, and some of the information that used to be recorded manually and thereby * was available to give to citizens if they called is no longer readily available. He said there also are some minor operating problems that have to be resolved. The City Council had asked for a proposal to bring in a consultant to.aid in resolving.the problems, and Public Works Director Fred Herzberg and Mr. Housler had contacted several consulta►its.and now proposed that a consultant critique the system at a maximum cost of $2,800 and then that a qualified retired utility auditor be hired to provide on-the-job training at a maximum cost of $2,000, for a . total cost of .$4,800. They indicated that this would identify any problems in the system and would provide a well qualified person to do the training at least cost. Councilman'Gould thought this should be held for..the new M.A.A. to handle., but Councilwoman Allen said she had talked with the people involved.;and- she thought'.,wai.ting':wo.uld, only worsen.,the condition:. Mr. Herzberg said one of'the problems has to do with. level of service, and Rhonda March, his Office Administrator, explained that when citizens inquire about their accounts they cannot always be given an immediate response because the information has not been received from data processing. She also said that the two clerks have to wait.on the.public and at the same time are trying to learn the new process. They are finding some misinterpretations that must be resolved and they feel the system needs -some -flexibility and that they'need additional training. Mrs. March thought a consultant.cou.ld help them.- There was some indication from the Council that only a critique should be..authorized and the results should be studied before authorizing the hiring of.someone to provide further training: COUNCILMAN.NAUGHTEN-MOVED, SECONDED'BY COUNCILMAN GOULD, THAT THE COUNCIL•AUTHORIZE THE HIRING OF.'A CONSULTANT'TO-CRITIQUE THE SYSTEM, 11 0 7-7 J 1 *See amendment, 4-21-81 0 235 • April 14, 1981 - continued AT A MAXIMUM COST OF $2,800, FUNDS TO COME FROM THE UTILITY BILLING FUNCTION WHICH IS THE SYSTEM THAT GIILL BE IMPROVED BY THIS. Councilwomen Jaech and Goetz did not believe the funds should come from the utility billing account. -A ROLL CALL VOTE WAS TAKEN ON THE MOTION, WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS NAUGHTEN,.GOULD,.AND KASPER VOTING.YES, AND WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS JAECH, GOETZ, AND ALLEN VOTING NO, RESULTING IN A.TIE VOTE. MAYOR HARRISON VOTED YES TO BREAK THE TIE, AND THE MOTION CARRIED. There was some question.as to whether the Mayor could vote on this issue as funds are involved. City Attorney:Wayne Tanaka stated that this was purely a motion to hire a consultant and the Mayor could vote on it since the funds are in the budget for professional services and there is no need to transfer funds. DISCUSSION OF M.A.A. JOB DESCRIPTION * Council members Naughten, Gould, and Jaech had prepared a document proposing criteria for the M.A.A. position, includingthe section of the City Code which outlines the M.A.A. duties. The document also included .a program for screening candidates and selection of finalists by a committee which would include citizens from various organizations in the City, as well as a time schedule for the entire program. COUNCILMWOMAN GOETZ MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN JAECH, THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY BE INSTRUCTED TO DRAFT A.RESOLUTION INCORPORATING THE.PROPOSED PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OF AN M.A.A. Councilwoman Goetz also thanked the three Council members responsible for drafting the document. Mayor Harrison stated that he believed the selection process to be an administrative process and that he would seek a legal opinion as to whether the proposed process was legal. Councilman Gould responded that he had asked the City Attorney and received.a positive response. City Attorney Wayne Tanaka stated that the process is administrative and the ultimate choice is the Mayor's, but there is nothing to prohibit the Council from specifying the qualifications of the person to hold -the job, and as far as involvement of citizens in making the selection there is nothing to prevent the Council from seeking an ad hoc group to be involved, but if the intent is to limit the choice to just those • recommended by that body then.that would not be acceptable. Councilman Gould said the procedure was written so the citizens of the community will make recommendations to the Mayor and it acknowledges that the Mayor.will select the final candidate. Mr. Tanaka stated that if the final selection by the Mayor is not limited.to that group recommended by the committee, then there is nothing wrong with it. -Councilman Gould said a good job of screening can be done when criteria are set, and he did not want this to be a political patronage, but that the person selected should be a good employee for the City, so the selection has to be done professionally and objectively. Councilman Kasper observed that two months previously. the Council had decided there would be no . M.A.A. and he thought that was by a nearly unanimous vote, and he asked how long this document had been in the making as it was not -in the packets on.Friday. Councilman Gould responded that his part was done this afternoon. Councilman Kasper thought this should be deferred until next week, as he wanted to study it and also thought Councilman Nordquist should be involved. He said he would not necessarily be opposed to -the proposal, but he wanted time to study it and he thought the list of people participating in the screening possibly -should -be expanded. THE MOTION CARRIED, WITH COUNCIL- MAN KASPER VOTING NO. Mayor Harrison was asked how he felt about the existing job description, and he said it was satisfactoryto him. He added that anyone who gets hired will be hired until January 1 of.next;�ye;a4.r:�.and;then there will be a performance review to determine whether a new one-year contract will be offered. Councilman Gould responded that he thought that would be an improvement and would create an automatic evalua.ti,on.per.iod, and if he were an applicant he would want that and more -- maybe two years --considering the history of this position. ANNOUNCEMENTS Council President.Allen advised that she had received a.letter from Mountlake Terrace regarding a youth soccer team to tour Europe and requesting support in the way of City patches and letters from the City. The Council was in.agreement to such support, and she'will respond to the request. • Counc tl President. Allen reported that she had asked Council members Gould and Goetz to serve on the Professional Services Selection Committee. Council President Allen stated that, in addition to those previously named, Council members Goetz, Nordquist, and Naughten willbe attending the AWC convention. Councilman Naughten.asked about .a letter received from Laurel Ballew Wise regarding some neighborhood opposition to her property development plans. Planning Director'Mary Lou Block responded that there has not been an appeal and -the appeal period has elapsed. COUNCILMAN GOULD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN NAUGHTEN, TO MOVE THE FOLLOWING THREE ITEMS FROM THE APRIL 21, 1.981 AGENDA TO .THE..MAY 5, 1981 AGENDA: HEARING ON TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THIRD AND DAYTON; HEARING ON PROPOSED RESOLUTION ADOPTING RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR HEARING EXAMINER; AND DISCUSSION ON THE.RESTRUCTURE OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE; AND THAT AN ITEM, "NEGOTIATIONS DISCUSSION," BE ADDED TO THE APRIL 21, 198.1 AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED. Councilman Naughten noted -that there was a memo from.the City Engineer stating.that the stop sign at 14th Way S.W, and 7th P1. S..will be removed. Mr. Adams said that this was being brought to the Council's attention, in view of the reaction to another similar action recently., He said this sign originally.had been installed because of landscaping that caused a sight obstruction, but the land- scaping has been trimmed and safe sight distance now is provided. A request had:been received to remove the sign from a resident on 14th Way S.W., a traffic study was conducted, and the recommenda- tion now was to remove it. Councilman Kasper noted that.a number of large buses.are having trouble turning corners in residential areas and at -the intersection of 212th/76th, and at:9th and:Main cars are ,parking all the way to the stop sign'so .one cannot make a right.turn and the buses cannot turn so they are holding up traffic, and he suggested these problems be examined. Councilman.Gould requested that the City Attorney provide some information as to what will be expected, • and the time frame, regarding the new collective bargaining unit. This will be included under the new agenda item, "Negotiations Discussion," which was added to next week's agenda. *See amendment, 4-21-81 6 April 14, 1981 - Continued • * Public Works Director Fred Herzberg submitted to the Mayor, with copies to the Council, his letter of resignation, effective May 8, 1981,.which Council President Allen read into the record. There was no further business to come before the Council, and the meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m. IRENE VARNEY. MORAN, CVty Clerk April 21, 1981 HARVE.H. HARRISON, Mayor The regular meeting,of the Edmonds City Council was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by Mayor Harve Harrison in the Council Chambers of the Edmonds Civic Center.. All.present joined in the flag salute. 1 1 PRESENT ABSENT STAFF PRESENT Harve.Harrison, Mayor John Nordquist Jack -Mitchell, Acting Public Works Dir. • Kathy Geiermann, Jim Adams, City Engineer Student Rep.- Fred.Herzberg, Public Works Director Larry Naughten Abe Blandin, Street Division Supt. Jo-Anne.Jaech Jim Jessel, Parks & Recreation Dir. Katherine Allen Art Hous-ler, Finance Director Ray Gould Jack Weinz, Fire Chief Mary Goetz Marlo Foster, Police Chief Bill Kasper Duane.Bowman, Associate Planner Wayne Tanaka, City Attorney Mark Eames, City Attorney Doug. Albright, City Attorney Jackie,Parrett, Deputy City Clerk CONSENT AGENDA Items (B), (D), (E), and (F) were removed from the Consent.Agenda. `COUNCILMAN GOULD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN, TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED. The approved items on the Consent Agenda included the following:, (A) Roll call. (C) Acknowledgment of receipt.of'C1aims for Damages.from Mrs. Roger M. Cutting in the amount of $342.23 and from Ron.Mizumori in the amount of $561.30. APPROVAL OF.MINUTES OF APRIL 14, 1981 [Item (B) on Consent.Agenda] Councilwoman Goetz said she wants -the minutes to reflect,.what.is being said so people can understand how Council members feel about certain issues, so on page,3,' at the end of the next to last para- • graph, regarding the resignation of the Public Works Director, she wanted the following added: "Councilwoman Goetz asked the Mayor.how this could have happened when two weeks ago he.said that the City was running just fine.--He-responded that to him .the City was. •Councilwoman Goetz.then said 'You are really out of it."' COUNCILWOMAN GOETZ MOVED, SECONDED BY'COUNCILMAN GOULD, THAT*THE MINUTES.BE SO AMENDED. Mayor Harrison asked if that was.'....his total sentence. She said at that time it was, that there was.more•.later and if..he wanted more.to.be there they should have more. He said he thought the total sentence -.was that he felt the City was running just fine. THE MOTION THEN CARRIED. COUNCILMAN GOULD FURTHER MOVED TO,AMEND THE.MINUTES, SECONDED -BY COUNCILWOMAN GOETZ, TO STATE THE ELEVEN POINTS'LISTED UNDER "SITUATION ANALYSIS -'WHY WE -NEED -AN M.A.A." WHICH COUNCILMAN NAUGHTEN HAD READ INTO THE RECORD AS TO WHY THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS,A.MAYOR'S:ASSISTANT. MOTION CARRIED. Those eleven points are as follows: 1. The lack of day-to-day department head supervision, direction, and discipline contributes to inefficiency, poor morale, and costly personnel turnover. 2. The need for management overview.of project assignments and scheduling --who, when, what, and where. 3. The need for coordination between departments to resolve conflicts and problems and avoid costly duplication of effort. 4. Equitable job classification: Some.employees feel.there are inequities in this area, thus the move' to unionization. 5. The lack of personnel objectives and performance evaluations based on management by objectives. *See amendment, 4-21-81