HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Head Meetings Minutes 04.01.2003 MINUTES
DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING
APRIL 1, 2003 3:00 P.M.
OLD COUNCIL CHAMBERS
PRESENT: Mayor Bud Johnson Mary Embleton Mark Anderson
Matt Erekson Gay Easton Paul Hutter
Peggy Arnold Rob Harris
Mike Zuhoski Tim Reiter
Jan Faught Mike Nieskens
Mayor Johnson introduced several individuals: Mark Anderson, who has an agreement to
provide legal services for the city; Tim Reiter, chief operator at the water plant for the past eight
months; Mike Nieskens, the maintenance superintendent; Rob Harris, Fire Department; and Paul
Hurter, Associated Employers of Montana.
Human Resources Audit report
Team-buildin~ training schedule - set date
· Paul Hutter, Associated Employers of Montana, gave a presentation.
· City of Laurel is now a member of the organization.
· AEM is an advocate for the employer.
· Provides an array of services in human resources
· AEM has 700 members in Montana.
· Health Trust
o Provides health care insurance to over 6,000 people in Montana
o Little overhead
o Costs increased 10%
· Have three HR professionals on staff', will hire fourth one soon
· Department heads with employee related issues could call them.
o Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
· Code of Conduct
o Wilt get copy to mayor soon
o Confidentiality is very important.
· AEM is getting used to the City of Laurel structure
o Laurel is big enough to have a HR Department.
· Not a waste of money
· Employee issues
· Worker's comp issues
· Could be HR person or city attorney
· Training
o Team-building sessions - two sessions
o First session:
· Set a Saturday where department heads and other employees can go
through the team-building process
· Tentatively set for Saturday, April 26th - 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
· Department heads, Cheryll, Jeanette, Cathy, Neva, Cindy to attend
Department Head Meeting Minutes of April 1, 2003
· Includes personality assessment, problem solving exercises, team
dynamics
o Second session
· Department heads to attend
· Focus back on first day
· Performance management
· Coaching and counseling
· Could schedule on a weekday
AEM has a selection of training resources available.
o Will provide AEM/MSSC Education & Training Booklet for departments
o Sends out a monthly newsletter
· Employment issues
o Department heads first need to inform mayor of issues and then call Paul at AEM.
· Haman Resource Audit for the City of Laurel
o Completed last week
o Gave copy of the audit to mayor
Budget - CIP
· Ken Olson and Bud will meet individually with department heads to put together a
preliminary budget.
· Preliminary budget will be presented to council.
· Need to have choices for council to make priorities
· Represents a broader input possibility
· Set CIP process to rank projects
o Schedule latter part of April
Computer network discussion
· Mike Haskell contacted Bud regarding networking issues.
· Dilemma involves their concept of responsibilities and the city's expectations for their
services.
· Questioned if they need to lock dow~ so nobody can do anything without their
permission
· Bud asked for discussion.
o Issues in finance office
· Difficult to identify whether the problems are program or network related.
o Police department
· Cannot access Black Mountain programs
· Firewall is in place.
o Discussion regarding need for access to Black Mountain programs
· All departments would have access to track budgets
o Ambulance
· Jan has access to the ambulance programs.
· Needs access to Black Mountain programs
Purchasing Policy. - proposed changes
· Mike, Mary, Steve, and Neva met on March 11 th.
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Department Head Meeting Minutes of April 1, 2003
· Committee's proposal and Larry's proposal were previously distributed to department
heads.
· Discussion regarding both proposals
o General statements need to be made at the beginning of the policy.
· Council has fiscal responsibility to set the budget, approve the payroll and claims.
· Department heads need to follow the budget.
· Discussion regarding purchase orders
· Discussion regarding backorders
· Discussion regarding blanket purchase orders
· Need statements in policy to clarify issues
· Discussion regarding bidding process
o Bidding takes the place of the purchase requisition process
o P.O. process is still required.
· Committee will review and rewrite the policy.
· Discussion regarding ambulance need to purchase while on call outs
Committee Minutes:
Planning Board minutes - 03/06/03;
· Draft of Growth Management Plan
· Land use variance for Crazy Mountain Oil and Gas
Public Works minutes - 03/10/03
· Discussion regarding nature of committees in furore
o Change to advisory for input on issues
o Examples:
· Bus stop issue - Public Works
· Cat ordinance - Emergency Services
· Keg ordinance - Emergency Services
o Purchase issues will be presented at council workshop; presentations made to
council
o If committee chairman needs department head to attend meeting, they must
contact Bud; he will contact the department head.
· Emergency Services Committee will have an agenda for future meetings.
Other
· Council workshop agenda - April 8th
o Tim Reiter mentioned several items that Larry wanted on the workshop agenda.
· Data rack for server in clerk/treasurer's office
o Cost $2,250
o Request to share cost with other departments
o Bud said Brent Olness will give direction on how to assign costs
o Relocation may be considered
Department Head Meeting Minutes of April 1, 2003
Calendar
April 8, 2003 - Council Workshop · Change order for water treatment plant
· Engineering Services Agreement with HKM Engineering
· Use of contingency funds for new generator
· Agreement with Montana Engineering and Administration for a Wastewater Facilities
Grant (CDBG) for $500,000
April 15, 2003 - Council
April 29, 2003 - Council Workshop
May 6, 2003 - Council
Laurel Ci.ty Voice
July 30, 2003 Laurel City Voice
Articles due to Cindy by July 7t~
November 26, 2003 Laurel City Voice
Articles due to Cindy by November 3rd
Future:
Library Board/Peg Arnold - council workshop
Right-of-way fees - Solid Waste
Bid for material and services - Public Works
Inclusion of 8th Avenue in current residential light district
Enterprise Funds - rate proposals
Library year-end report - July 2003
The meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cindy Allen
Council Secretary
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