Report from the Personnel Committee - November 12, 2013

Ratify or revise the recommendations of the Personnel Committee with regard to the following cases:
    
1  Resolution to End a Patrol Officer's Probation
2. Resolution to Hire an Economic Development Manager
3. Resolution to Replace the Vacant Fire Marshal position

The Personnel Committee met earlier this evening to consider the three cases listed above. The purpose of this report is as follows:

Case 1 of 3:
To remove Ms. Shannon Schlender from probation and to retain her as a regular full-time Patrol Officer effective on November 27, 2013.

Case 2 of 3:
To hire Mr. Ted LaFrance as the City’s new Economic Development Manager, effective November 18, 2013, at $35.17 per hour (step 1 of the revised 2013 wage scale) with a credit of 5 vacation days.

Case 3 of 3:
To consider options for addressing the vacant Fire Marshal position.

Options:

Case 1 of 3:
Staff recommends ending Ms. Schlender's probation and retaining her as a regular full-time Patrol Officer. Staff does not recommend any other option.

Case 2 of 3:
Option #1: As recommended by staff, authorize hiring Mr. Ted LaFrance as the City’s new Economic Development Manager, effective November 18, 2013, at $35.17 per hour (step 1 of the revised 2013 wage scale) with a credit of 5 vacation days. Pros: 1)Will allow for better development and implementation of the City's economic development, programs, and services for both commercial and industrial businesses, and 2) Will assist with bringing many of the City Council’s strategic goals to fruition.

Option #2: (Not recommended by staff) Not fill the position. Pros: Will result in savings of the fixed personnel costs associated with this position. Cons: 1) Will cause a reduction in services to current and future businesses, 2) Will overload existing staff and decrease service levels, 3) May continue to take valuable time away from administrative staff, reducing the likelihood of fully achieving the strategic goals as identified by the City Council.

Option #3: Based on City Council discussion.

Case 3 of 3:
Option #1 authorize staff to recruit for a fulltime Deputy Fire Chief; or
Option #2 authorize staff to recruit for a fulltime Fire Marshall; or
Option #3 authorize staff recruit for a fulltime Fire Inspector with reclassification to Fire Marshall by the end of 2014 and to back-fill duties left unaccounted for via outside sources; or
Option #4 (Not recommended by staff) authorize staff to contract out all functions of the second in command position

Case 1 of 3:
There are no additional funds required to remove Ms. Schlender from probation.

Case 2 of 3: 
The 2013 funding for this position is well within the 2013 budget as this position was budgeted for all of 2013. The 2014 budget has not been adopted at this time; however, the funding for this position will be accounted for in the 2014 budget and is anticipated to range from $89,862 to $100,435 (wages, taxes, and benefits) depending on Mr. LaFrance's health plan election. Funding for the ED Position is from the Economic & Development Authority (EDA) budget, the Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) budget and Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Note: Because of hiring this position at step 1, the cost is well within the funding which was previously stated to be not more than $112,957.

Case 3 of 3:  
Option #1 Deputy Fire Chief: The 2014 funding required for option #1 would be approximately $91,065 to $100,665 (step 1 to midpoint) with the pay scale range of $30.14 to $37.67 per hour.

Option #2 Fire Marshal: The 2014 funding required for option #2 would be approximately $85,065 to $93,848 (step 1 to midpoint) with a pay scale range of $27.79 to $34.69 per hour.

Option #3 Fire Inspector/Fire Marshal: The 2014 funding required for option #3 would be approximately $82,997 to $91,602 (step 1 to midpoint) with a pay scale range of $26.98 to $33.72 per hour. This figure does not include any necessary back-filling expenses.

Option #4 Contracting Out: Unknown

At the time of this writing the Personnel Committee has not made a recommendation to the City Council.   Staff will present the Committee's recommendation at the regular City Council meeting.

Case 1 of 3:
Motion to approve resolution #2013-11-188 to remove Ms. Shannon Schlender from probation and retain her as one of the City's full-time regular Patrol Officers.

Case 2 of 3: 
Motion to approve resolution #13-11-189 to hire Mr. Ted LaFrance as the City’s new Economic Development Manager, effective November 18, 2013, at $35.17 per hour (step 1 of the revised 2013 wage scale) with a credit of 5 vacation days.

Case 3 of 3:
Motion to approve resolution #2013-11-192, to replace the vacant Fire Marshal position based on one of the four options, as follows:

1. Motion to approve resolution #2013-11-192 to authorize staff to recruit for a fulltime Deputy Fire Chief; or
2. Motion to approve resolution #2013-11-192 to authorize staff to recruit for a fulltime Fire Marshall; or
3. Motion to approve resolution #2013-11-192 to authorize staff recruit for a fulltime Fire Inspector with reclassification to Fire Marshall by the end of 2014 and to back-fill duties left unaccounted for via outside sources; or
4. Motion to approve resolution #2013-11-192 to authorize staff to contract out all functions of the second in command position.