Adopt Resolution #20-311 to Approve a Position Reclassification
 

The purpose of this case is for the Council to consider reclassifying one current city position to Deputy City Clerk. 

As background, the employee performing the duties of the Deputy City Clerk, Ms. Katie Schmidt, is currently titled Confidential Administrative Assistant.  Her role, since 2018 has largely been that of a Deputy City Clerk, which aligned with the timing of the full-time City Clerk going to part-time.  Ms. Schmidt has nearly completed the  three year City Clerk certification which will be done as soon as the COVID-19 situation settles down enough for her to attend the last week of training. It should be noted, the certification is not a requirement of working as a Deputy City Clerk.  

It may be of interest to know that the Deputy City Clerk is not a new position to the City.  When the former Deputy City Clerk left, restructures occurred and positions evolved in the Administrative Services Department and the position of Deputy City Clerk was not refilled. 

In late 2019, the former part-time City Clerk retired and the Administrative Services Director, Ms. Colleen Lasher, became the City Clerk. The Administrative Services Director has a broad role and relies on the current Confidential Administrative Assistant, Ms. Katie Schmidt for Deputy City Clerk duties.  

This reclassification was included as part of the budgeting discussions and are accounted for in the 2021 budget.  Reclassifications are processed in order to accurately classify and compensate employees.  They reinforce the City’s desire to maintain a strong and effective organization and to retain high performing employees.  Retention of high performing employees serves as a safety net to staffing, sometimes referred to as three-deep, or simply having back-up.  The role of the City Clerk and Deputy City Clerk are critical  to municipal government.  
  
The primary objectives of the position are to serve as the City’s Deputy City Clerk by performing a variety of responsible and confidential administrative support functions for the City Clerk and Administrative Services Department. This may include, but is not limited to election coordination, ordinance management and city code changes, publication of election and ordinance legal notices and assisting with board and commission recruitment.  This position also backs up work processes such as workers’ compensation and accident reporting, assisting with posting City agendas and assisting with other tasks as assigned -- all in pursuit of the City’s strategic initiatives.

As stated, the reclassification listed above was discussed as part of the 2021 budgeting process and  have been included in the 2021 City budget.  The administrative assistant position does not require back filling. 

Observations/Alternatives:

Option #1: Reclassify the position as described.  
Option #2: Do not reclassify the position as described. 
 
The pros and cons of the above action is tied to the Strategic Plan. The key reason to reclassify the position is to more accurately recognize the job functions that the employee are performing and to proactively work to retain the City's talent--reducing the risk of turnover costs and loss of institutional knowledge.

The 2021 funding required for this action has been accounted for in the 2021 budget at approximately $1752.00.

 

Staff recommends option #1  to reclassify the Confidential Administrative Assistant to Deputy City Clerk. 

Motion to adopt resolution #20-311 to Approve a Position Reclassification, effective as of January 1, 2021, as follows:

1) Reclassify the current Confidential Administrative Assistant, Katie Schmidt,  to Deputy City Clerk, at step 2 of the Deputy City Clerk wage scale, which at the time of this writing is $26.787 per hour based on 2020 wages, following approval of the 2021 budget, the hourly pay shall be updated to the 2021 scale.