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Director of Public Works Olson stated that staff gets comments twice a week or more on mowing <br />parks - we have already reduced some of those types of service and there are complaints. <br />Councilmember McGlone stated we need to reduce mirroring what's happening in the economy - <br />there's a lofwe can do to tighten our belts. <br />Councilmember Wise recollected a story about a St. Paul Park where the City had to quit <br />mowing and residents volunteered. <br />Director of Public Works Olson stated that we have done that. <br />Councilmember Wise suggested the idea of a "golden hammer" for employees -you come up <br />with a money saving idea and you get a percentage of the savings. <br />Mr. Olson stated we try to do everything we can to be as effective as we can - we tighten our <br />belts and do more with less and then we tighten our belts again. <br />Councilmember Wise stated he would like to see some of the savings go back to the staff -they <br />are doing the work. He would like to see some kind of a reward program. Happy employees are <br />productive employees. <br />City Administrator Ulrich commented that these economic times will drive innovation. Cutting <br />services is very tough but is up for discussion. It's tough to close parks and skating rinks. He <br />talked about cooperative agreements for purchasing equipment and saving time. <br />Councilmember Look stated he talked to a business owner today who said he's never worked so <br />hard and made. so little. People are bidding jobs to keep people on staff. When we are talking <br />about levy rates, we are talking commercial taxes so people-who are bidding for jobs low or at <br />cost will get a tax increase. The RALF property on Highway #10 acquisition for freeway status <br />improvement -now MnDOT says it's pushed out further - so now they are dead properties - do <br />we have an idea how much in taxes these have drawn out of the tax pool. We should go to the <br />State and say we, in good faith, got these properties, now we need to get paid back for some of <br />our share. <br />Mayor Ramsey noted a comment was made about a floor scrubber that was purchased that saved <br />a lot of staff time -when do we see some decrease in employees' wages because of that <br />purchase. A comment was also made about a GPS system for the Engineering Department that <br />saved days of staff time -what difference has been shown. <br />Deputy City Administrator Nelson responded to the floor scrubber purchase. The usage of this <br />building has risen and even more so with the Anoka County License Center moving in. We did <br />not ask for additional staff for the additional use of the building. The floor scrubber reduced the <br />job by four hours once a week or every 10 days or so but adding more uses to the building have <br />easily absorbed the four hours. <br />City Council Work Session -June 29, 2010 <br />Page 4 of 10 <br />