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08-09-2011 Budget Work Session Attachment to MinutesAs the Mayor of Scandia, I take my responsibilities to heart. I spend many hours trying to place careful consideration on what is important for the cities welfare. Anne I have listened to your concerns and read through your previous report that was presented at a special meeting held in the community center on June 14t". Your documented reasons why it is important for Scandia to retain a full time building inspector have been carefully weighed along with its felt importance. I also do understand and appreciate the handful of citizens that came forward and voiced their desire to keep a full time building inspector. The common theme that was spoken is about how our building inspector was always available for their needs and helped them trouble shoot issues. In the short term these are all good attributes, but in the long term and what is good for the city is not always the same. Since our special meeting took place in June, I have continued to listen to citizens of our community that do not agree with the position of building inspector remaining as it is when very little building is going on in our city. For example: we have a fleet of vehicles that need repair once in awhile. These repairs may at times require serious trouble shooting to repair them, or it could be as simple as an oil change. We take what troubled vehicle it is, to the qualified service person to address the issue and then be on our way. In the case of our John Deere tractor when something breaks down their mechanic comes to us or they take it to their shop. When fire trucks need service they come to us as needed or it is taken to them. This vehicle repair or service needs are similar to the needs of current activity levels in construction in our city. We don't pay to have a full time heavy duty mechanic on staff for the times when we may need them. The same is true for our current building trend. We don't require a full time inspector for times when we may need them to inspect. To the tax payer, the city is not utilizing it funds to its fullest potential. I have waited patiently for this time to be upon us to discuss next year's budget before recommending the following ideas and changes. Council it was through the forethought of Anne tackling the Electrical Inspector needs of this city that put it over the top for me and to bring this forward at this time. If one inspector position for the city can be under contract then it is my belief that one more inspectors position for the city can be under contract as well. I am in no way telling you what you must do; I am standing before you, representing the voices of those concerned citizens that also wish to be heard. To those that wish to judge me or this council in a negative way for what I have brought forth is your right. But negative insinuations will be considered counterproductive in bringing forth change that could result in positive affect for Scandia. Change isn't a bad thing when carefully considered and we as an elected body have the responsibility to look at all alternatives for everything we do in this budget process. I expect us to take ownership of what we decide and not rubber stamp anything until we are satisfied we have done all we can. So the following are my suggestions to consider for change and or implementation during our budget discussions. Please keep in mind that this list is not limited, but open as we work our way through the process. Building Inspector: • Position will become a contracted position • 70/30 percentage with a ceiling of 70k then 30/70 percent • The contracted position will be provided with expected rules of conduct to follow for the city. • There will be established and published inspector times available for city inspections and hours available to the public. • Individual must be qualified as per city requirements to include state and county professional certificates and licenses. • The contract should include a termination clause that could be terminated by the contractor or the city in writing to take affect either in 30 or more days. Animal Control: • Washington County animal control • Dangerous dogs will be reported to the city for proper handling of city code enforcement as outlined in the CITY OF SCANDIA ORDINANCE NO. 120 Public Works Supervisor: • This position will be changed to become a separate and part time position. • Individual will provide direction in the morning as required to the crew as to what tasks need to be done with any guidance required. • They will also be responsible for maintenance and preventative maintenance oversight. • They will be within 20 minutes response to the maintenance building • They will have heavy equipment experience and CDL for back up • Will have knowledge and experience in road maintenance. • Will be qualified for septic system oversight and testing. • The job position will work 25 to 30 hours per week, which will be on a flex schedule. Code Enforcement: • We will add or authorize more hours for our new office employee to take on code enforcement notifications or follow-up, or to take on other responsibilities as the administrator deems necessary to take on the code enforcement personally. • If verifications need to be confirmed before actions, utilize the maintenance personnel if it is on their route of other work, if determination cannot wait, then notify our police officer for verification. • For first notification of code infractions, a phone call will be used • Second will be a letter from the city • Third notification will be police action. • All actions taken and notifications will be logged into a data base for tracking all code enforcement issues. I now invite the council to decide during this budget process what is good for Scandia.