2023-02-21 PSPHSP CommitteeMinutes
PUBLIC SAFETY, PLANNING, HUMAN SERVICES & PERSONNEL
SPECIAL COMMITTEE MEETING
February 21, 2023
Elected Officials Present Staff Present
Councilmember Vivian Olson (Chair) Michelle Bennett, Police Chief
Councilmember Jenna Nand Jessica Neill Hoyson, HR Director
Council President Neil Tibbott (ex-officio) Scott Passey, City Clerk
1. CALL TO ORDER
The Edmonds City Council virtual online PSPHSP Committee meeting was called to order virtually and
in the City Council Conference Room, 212 – 5th Avenue North, Edmonds, at 3:31 p.m. by
Councilmember Olson.
2. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
3. Job Descriptions for HR Department
Ms. Neill Hoyson explained her 2023 budget request included filling the HR assistant and the HR
manager positions. She and HR staff reviewed and updated the HR director, HR manager, HR analyst
and HR assistant job descriptions so that the director’s focus is on strategic objectives, the manager’s
focus is on day to day operations, the analysts provide services, and the HR assistant provides
administration support for the department. The position descriptions have not been updated since 2016.
Committee recommendation: Consent Agenda.
1. Police Department Administrative Staff
Ms. Neill Hoyson explained the request is to increase a part time administrative assistant from 0.5 to
0.75, add an executive assistant I – confidential and change the chief’s executive assistant I to executive
assistant II to supervise the new position and the part-time administrative assistant.
Chief Bennett commented the police department was operating with 1990 staffing levels which required
several updates to bring the department into more current, standardized policing roles. Edmonds Police
Department is grossly understaffed, 51st out of 51 cities in the state; staff has not increased in 15 years
even though population and call volumes have increased. When commissioned staff workloads are
adjusted, administrative support needs to be commensurately increased. Council supported the request
to add three commander positions because there was no mid-level management. A department with
almost 80 people has one exec assistant and one 0.5 person who regularly work overtime due to
workload. The additional confidential executive assistant will support the two assistant chiefs and three
commanders. She would like to request two more admin staff but will not at this time. She described
the need for a supervisory position to oversee administrative personnel, direct workflow, etc. Both
executive assistant-confidential positions are non-represented (NR) due to the type of work.
Questions and discussion followed regarding the budget impact, salary savings that will cover the cost
of the positions in 2023, establishing a new baseline in the 2024 budget for these positions, overtime
the current admin staff are working, amount this adds to the administrative portion of the police budget,
current civilian and commissioned vacancies, possibility of a request for more admin staff next year,
commissioned systems that have been automated, use of technology to lift the administrative burden,
workflow management software to assist admin staff, backlog of administrative work, the need for a
02/21/23 PSPHSP Committee Minutes, Page 2
supervisory position to delegate/assign work, inadequate ratio of administrative staff, and approving this
short-term solution now and full council considering a decision package in the 2024 budget.
Committee recommendation: Consent Agenda
2. Ordinance Change to Address Parking Ticket Change
Chief Bennett advised this is an administrative change to the ordinance to increase the timeline for
individuals to respond to an infraction from 15 days to 30 days.
Discussion followed regarding providing an avenue for those unable to pay court fees, and ability for
the municipal court judge to mitigate fees if they deem appropriate.
Committee recommendation: Consent Agenda
Councilmember Nand relayed while at the AWC City Action Days in Olympia, one of Olympia’s Equity,
Diversity and Inclusion staff presented an incredible equity tool they created to consider equity impacts
of projects and decisions. She suggested Edmonds consider utilizing that tool rather than recreating it.
Ms. Neill Hoyson responded she was not familiar with the work Olympia has done and offered to reach
out to Olympia’s staff person regarding the tool. She disagrees with a contract approach for this work
and supports hiring an internal staff person. She paused the REDI contract due to a councilmember’s
interest in pursuing a staff position. She received only three proposals from REDI contractors despite
reaching out through her connections.
3. ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 4:09 p.m.
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SCOTT PASSEY, CITY CLERK