City Council Work Session Municipal Court and Council Chambers 14455 W. Van Buren St., Suite B101 Goodyear, AZ 85338 |
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CALL TO ORDER
Vice Mayor Hampton called the Work Session to order at 4:31 p.m.
ROLL CALL
- Present:
- Vice Mayor Brannon Hampton; Councilmember Joe Pizzillo; Councilmember Sheri Lauritano; Councilmember Wally Campbell; Councilmember Bill Stipp; Councilmember Laura Kaino
- Staff Present:
- City Manager Julie Karins; Assistant City Attorney Lisa Maxie-Mullins; City Clerk Darcie McCracken
| AGENDA ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION |
1.
PUBLIC SAFETY OVERTIME
City Manager Julie Karins introduced Goodyear Fire Chief Paul Luizzi and Goodyear Police Chief Santiago Rodriguez to discuss public safety overtime. Ms. Karins explained that she was tasked with studying how to reduce public safety overtime costs by 25 percent. She further explained that the Chiefs would discuss their specific overtime makeup and impacts within their respective departments.
Fire Chief Luizzi discussed the staffing of the seven fire stations across the city that consist of three shifts that cover 365 days. He explained that 28 positions are staffed every day with four rovers per shift to assist with staffing requirements.
Chief Luizzi reviewed the types of overtime such as the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime (FLSA). It requires overtime to be paid to firefighters after they have reached 106 hours of work in a pay period. He discussed the second type of overtime called Constant Staffing overtime, which happens for absences longer than four hours for things such as work-related injuries, sick leave, vacation, or training. Chief Luizzi spoke about the other types of overtime that included specials events, City or Fire Department business or wildland deployment and the causes for that time of overtime.
Chief Luizzi continued the discussion by explaining the actions and recommendations the Fire Department could do to reduce overtime by 25 percent. He provided examples like adding firefighter rovers, Kelly Days or no longer covering special events. The Department recommended overstaffing positions to reduce overtime which could offset about $50,000 in costs.
Council inquired if the Fire Department was currently fully staffed. Chief Luizzi responded that the Department's budgeted positions were fully staffed.
Council expressed that they would not like the Fire Department to stop covering special events adding that it was important for the residents to see them there.
A discussion continued on overstaffing and rovers and the cost of overtime associated with both.
Council asked it was possible to get data on how the City of Goodyear compares to the rest of the valley cities. Chief Luizzi replied in agreement and added that one of the variables that would need to be accounted for is the number of employees.
Police Chief Rodriguez continued the overtime discussion by reviewing the Police Departments shift work and staffing. He stated that officers work three shifts per day and the 911 dispatch center worked two 12-hour shifts. He further explained the causes of overtime such as hold overs, shift coverage, call outs, training, mobile field force, holidays and other details like prisoner or hospital detail.
Chief Rodriguez explained the reduction options the Police Department implemented. Those changes included a report preparation policy, partial shift coverage and enhanced overtime tracking. He also reviewed the options and recommendations to reduce overtime. Chief Rodriguez stated one recommendation would be to add police assistants to all shifts providing an approximate four percent overtime reduction. Another recommendation included adding certified reserve officers working on a volunteer basis which would result in an 11 percent overtime reduction. Chief Rodriguez also recommended overstaffing positions which would allow the Department to plan for upcoming retirements.
Council commented on their observations relating to the Police Department’s costs such as disciplinary matters that keep employees off the job, workers compensation cases, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and training. Council expressed that they would not like to cut back on training as they believed it was critical to the success of the Police Department.
Ms. Karins expressed that this was an important conversation as taxpayer dollars were used to pay for overtime and added that she looked forward to having a regular review of this information with Council.
Fire Chief Luizzi discussed the staffing of the seven fire stations across the city that consist of three shifts that cover 365 days. He explained that 28 positions are staffed every day with four rovers per shift to assist with staffing requirements.
Chief Luizzi reviewed the types of overtime such as the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime (FLSA). It requires overtime to be paid to firefighters after they have reached 106 hours of work in a pay period. He discussed the second type of overtime called Constant Staffing overtime, which happens for absences longer than four hours for things such as work-related injuries, sick leave, vacation, or training. Chief Luizzi spoke about the other types of overtime that included specials events, City or Fire Department business or wildland deployment and the causes for that time of overtime.
Chief Luizzi continued the discussion by explaining the actions and recommendations the Fire Department could do to reduce overtime by 25 percent. He provided examples like adding firefighter rovers, Kelly Days or no longer covering special events. The Department recommended overstaffing positions to reduce overtime which could offset about $50,000 in costs.
Council inquired if the Fire Department was currently fully staffed. Chief Luizzi responded that the Department's budgeted positions were fully staffed.
Council expressed that they would not like the Fire Department to stop covering special events adding that it was important for the residents to see them there.
A discussion continued on overstaffing and rovers and the cost of overtime associated with both.
Council asked it was possible to get data on how the City of Goodyear compares to the rest of the valley cities. Chief Luizzi replied in agreement and added that one of the variables that would need to be accounted for is the number of employees.
Police Chief Rodriguez continued the overtime discussion by reviewing the Police Departments shift work and staffing. He stated that officers work three shifts per day and the 911 dispatch center worked two 12-hour shifts. He further explained the causes of overtime such as hold overs, shift coverage, call outs, training, mobile field force, holidays and other details like prisoner or hospital detail.
Chief Rodriguez explained the reduction options the Police Department implemented. Those changes included a report preparation policy, partial shift coverage and enhanced overtime tracking. He also reviewed the options and recommendations to reduce overtime. Chief Rodriguez stated one recommendation would be to add police assistants to all shifts providing an approximate four percent overtime reduction. Another recommendation included adding certified reserve officers working on a volunteer basis which would result in an 11 percent overtime reduction. Chief Rodriguez also recommended overstaffing positions which would allow the Department to plan for upcoming retirements.
Council commented on their observations relating to the Police Department’s costs such as disciplinary matters that keep employees off the job, workers compensation cases, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and training. Council expressed that they would not like to cut back on training as they believed it was critical to the success of the Police Department.
Ms. Karins expressed that this was an important conversation as taxpayer dollars were used to pay for overtime and added that she looked forward to having a regular review of this information with Council.
| ADJOURNMENT |
There being no further business to discuss, Vice Mayor Hampton adjourned the Work Session at 5:34 p.m.
| __________________________ Darcie McCracken, City Clerk |
__________________________ Joe Pizzillo, Mayor |
Date:___________________ |