Adopt Resolutions for 2014 Council Organization and Banking Institutions

Purpose:  To adopt the annual resolution appointing Councilmembers to Committees, etc. as well as designating the City's Official Newspaper, renewing Contract with TimeSaver Off Site Recording Secretary Service, and naming the firms the City will use for Legal Services.  The purpose is to also adopt the resolutions designating financial institutions as official depositories of City funds, authorizing signatures for financial transactions, and designating Bank of the West as Official Financial Institution for the City of Ramsey Banking Services for the year 2014.

Background:  The City Council met in work session on Tuesday, January 7 and discussed the organizational resolution.  Staff received direction as to who would serve on which committee, designating the  Anoka County Union as the City's official newspaper (it was noted there was only one proposal received - and that was from the Anoka County Union), naming the law firms the City will use for legal services, and approving the agreement with TimeSaver Off Site Recording Secretary Service.  Action also taken at the work session was consensus that the Finance Committee and the Personnel Committee be eliminated as they are unnecessary and redundant as the items are taken up before Council as a whole at some point.  In another case at the work session of January 7, Council authorized granting more authority to the City Administrator to administratively approve recruitment in instances where an existing position is vacated or when a position has been approved in the budget, extra duty pay/interim pay, market rate pay, annual review, amendments and modification to the pay plan, end of probation, inclement weather policy, and acceptance of resignations.  Authorizing the added authority streamlines the human resources process significantly and eliminates the need for Personnel Committees.  With regard to the Finance Committee, it was determined that the majority of the items dealing with finance are brought to the Council as a whole in the beginning, therefore, very few Finance Committee meetings were held and were deemed unnecessary. Those two Committees show up as a 2013 appointment on the resolution but are shown as eliminated for 2014. 

Resolution #14-01-007 for 2014 Council Organization is attached.

Each year the Council must designate certain institutions as official depositories of City funds.  A list of depositories is in Resolution #14-01-002 Designating Financial Institutions as Official Depositories of City Funds for 2014 - which is attached.  The Council also must designate an official financial institution.  Attached to this case is Resolution #14-01-004 Designating Bank of the West as Official Financial Institution for the City of Ramsey Banking Services for the Year of 2014.  The Council also authorizes annually two of its members, the City Administrator and certain members of staff to sign financial documents on behalf of the City.  Resolution #14-01-003 Authorizing Signatures for Financial Transactions is attached for review and adoption.

Motion to adopt Resolution #14-01-007 for 2014 Council Organization

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Motion to adopt Resolution #14-01-002 Designating Financial Institutions as Official Depositories of City Funds for 2014

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Motion to adopt Resolution #14-01-004 Designating Bank of the West as official Financial Institution for the City of Ramsey Banking Services for the Year of 2014

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Motion to adopt Resolution #14-01-003 Authorizing Signatures for Financial Transactions