2012.04.30 Work Session Packet (Joint Meeting with New Hope)JOINT CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
(Crystal and New Hope City Councils)
AGENDA SUMMARY
APRIL 30, 2012
6:30 P.M.
Crystal Community Center
4800 Douglas Drive
Game Room
Open for public observation
1. Call to order
2. Review of Ground Rules
3. Recap of Updated Categorization of Issues (attached)
4. Discuss Finance Issues (see attached memo and please note WMFD Chief
Crandall and WMFD Deputy Chief Larson, WMFD Accountant Matt Mayer and
West Metro Fire Relief Association President Adams will be present for this
portion of the meeting)
5. Discuss HR/Grievance Process (see attached memo)
6. Discuss Partnership Issues
7. Discuss Parking Lot Issues
8. Discuss Next Meeting/Steps
9. Next Meeting Date — Thursday, May 17, 2012, at 6:30 p.m.
10.Adjournment
Attach:
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West etro Fire -Rescue District
ETHICAL Joint City Council Work Session 6
LEADERS Addendum to Meeting Agenda
INACTION g g
April 30, 2012
Introduction and Purpose
This document is submitted to the Crystal and New Hope City Councils and city managers as an appendix to the
meeting agenda. This meeting will address issues related to finance and partnership. Several of the finance
issues raised by the Councils include requests for factual information. Information relevant to such issues is
presented below.
Guest Participants
This session will include participation from:
Jim Adams, President, West Metro Relief Association
Matthew L. Mayer, CPA Kern, DeWenter, Viere, Ltd.
Fire Chief Scott Crandall
Deputy Fire Chief Sarah Larson
Participants will be dismissed after discussing finance issues, and prior to addressing partnership issues.
Finance Issues
Issue 3.C. (New Hope): "Pension fund contributions need to be better explained/clarified,"
Issue 3.F. (Crystal): "Pension:
Requirements to receive full pension (is there a sliding scale?)
What are the minimum standards to be eligible for pension? Number or
percentage of calls?"
Information:
The amount of pension contributions is set by agreement between the District and the Relief Association, and
the terms of pension eligibility are defined by the Relief Association By Laws. There is no sliding scale; the
same factors are used to determine the contribution for all eligible paid -on -call personnel.
Pension contributions are calculated on a monthly basis. To be eligible for a pension contribution, an employee
must work at least 17 days during a given month. Working during a month means being available for calls,
drills, and station duties. Personnel state hours of availability in advance (i.e., days or nights), and must respond
to at least 35% of calls during the time they are available, and an assigned number of drills and station duties
during a quarter. The number of drills and station duty assignments vary by quarter.
If an employee does not meet the standards for calls, drills, and other duties on a quarterly basis, they are
subject to discipline, including progressive periods of suspension (and ultimately termination). During
suspension or other breaks in service such as personal leaves of absence, the employee is not eligible for a
pension contribution.
P.O. Box 14714
Minneapolis, MN 55414
www.ethinact.com
Issue 3.G. (Crystal): "Fund Balance: determine when surpluses go back to cities, and revise fund balance
policy"
Issue 3.11. (Crystal): "Capital projects: Need regular reports on status of capital projects, and need better
understanding of why staff vehicles cost so much (seem high compared to the cost of police squads and other
police staff vehicles)"
Information:
The District Board sets policy to govern the allocation of surplus funds. Currently, operating surpluses on an
annual basis, post -audit, are split such that 70% is allocated to fund major fire apparatus, and 30% is allocated
to fund capital equipment (non -vehicle, major durable purchases such as SCBA, thermal imagers, etc.). Capital
expenditures are made in accordance with a capital equipment and apparatus plan approved by the Board.
The District buys full-size SUVs from the State Purchasing Contract, on a 10-year replacement schedule.
Vehicles are equipped to respond to calls, with equipment and the capacity to serve in incident command and
other emergency response roles.
Issue 3.1(Crystal): "Need a plan for how funds from Relief Association are to be used."
Information:
The Relief Association is by far the largest donor to the Fire District. Donations are made with restrictions,
designating the use of funds for fire apparatus, equipment, etc. Within those parameters, the Fire Chief
currently determines how to spend those funds.
While the current chief has been in place, the District has spent less than $2000 of the funds donated by the
Relief Association. The current balance of funds awaiting expenditure is approximately $100,000.
2 Joint Council Work Session 6 Addendum
ajg
Memorandum
To: Crystal and New Hope City Councils
West Metro Fire -Rescue District Board of Directors
From: Kirk McDonald, New Hope City Manager
Anne Norris, Crystal City Manager
cc: Chief Crandall
Deputy Chief Larson
Chad Weinstein, Ethical Leaders in Action
Date: April 23, 2012
Subject: Discussion Regarding HR Policies/Grievances Procedures for West Metro
Fire District
Purpose
In follow up to the discussions at the recent joint city council work sessions regarding
West Metro Fire -Rescue District the city managers prepared a March 13 memorandum
with draft recommendations covering two topics:
1.) The potential formation of an administrative committee or establishment of
regular staff meetings between the Chief/Deputy Chief and City Managers to
improve communication between the District and the cities.
2) Review of the HR function and current grievance process at West Metro Fire -
Rescue District.
The memorandum, which included excerpts from the personnel policies from both cities
and West Metro Fire, was distributed in the March 22 joint council work session packet
and has been included in several Fire Board work session packets. In an effort to avoid
duplication of .materials; we are not including the information previously distributed
with this packet, but will certainly provide another copy of the material upon request.
The purpose of this memorandum is to discuss the status of these two issues and
provide recommendations to continue to address the issues.
Status
1. Regular staff meetings/communication
Although no formal action has been taken by the City Councils or Fire Board, the
City Managers have initiated regular staff meetings with the Fire Chief/Deputy Chief
on an every -other week basis. The intent of the meetings is to serve as a resource and
provide guidance to the Chief, similar to that provided to department heads; receive
updates on Fire District operations/issues; discuss and plan board agenda packets;
follow up on board./city council issues to ensure they are addressed in a timely
fashion; and to help maintain on -going communication with the Board, City
Councils, and senior staff in both cities.
2. HR function and grievance process
There has not been adequate time for the Board or City Councils to discuss/address
the issue, however, at the April 11 Fire Board Meeting, the importance of this matter
was again raised when the command staff reorganization plan was presented. At
that time, the Board requested that the city managers prepare an "action plan" on
the HR issue which could be discussed at the April 30 joint work session. It was
generally agreed by the Board that if the Councils reached a consensus on the
"action plan" that the Fire Board would have the opportunity to discuss and take
action at the May 9 West Metro Fire -Rescue District meeting.
The two city managers and b man resource professionals from both cities met and
developed the attached "action plan" for consideration by the two City Councils.
The plan was also shared with the fire chief and deputy chief.
Action recommended: Discuss the action plan and provide feedback to members of
the West Metro Fire Board.
Attachments: West Metro Fire Human Resources Proposed Action Plan
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West Metro Fire -Rescue District
Human Resources Action Plan
1. West Metro Fire -Rescue District EmRloyee Handbook — request that the human resources
professionals from both cities review the current (newly adopted) Employee Handbook and
provide feedback to Fire Board and City Managers regarding any recommended changes in
comparison to current policies in both cities.
2. Review Board Component — the City Councils suggested that the Board and City Managers
develop a more robust and fair human resources process. In particular, there was discussion
regarding establishment of a Review Board component providing options to employees if
they disagree with the Chief's decision. A similar process is currently utilized in both cities
enabling employees who do not agree with the decision of the city manager to file an appeal
with either the Employee Review Board in Crystal (consisting of human resource
professionals) or the Personnel Board in New Hope (also consisting of human resource
professionals). In both cities, the Board is the final decision maker.
It is recommended that an Employee Review Board/Committee be established for West
Metro Fire -Rescue District, similar to the procedures currently in place in the cities and the
Employee Handbook be revised to incorporate such a component/process. Several ideas for
the formation of a Review Board include:
A) Utilize current Crystal Employee Review Board as provided for in the previous West
Metro Personnel Policy.
B) Utilize current New Hope Personnel Board.
C) Create a combined city board comprised of:
1— Crystal Employee Review Board representative
1— New Hope Personnel Board representative
1— West Metro Fire Board President
D) Have West Metro Fire Board Executive Committee serve as the Review Board.
E) Utilize outside human resources firm to serve as the Board.
F) Combined Board (C above) plus city managers.
G) Other options proposed by City Councils or Board.
Other Human Resource Issues — it is recommended that the human resource professionals
from both cities be actively involved in any internal promotional processes, including
reviewing application materials and being a part of the interview process relating to the
proposed reorganization plan. West Metro management shall consult with the city HR
representatives on a regular basis.
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