Minutes - Council Work Session - 07/14/2015

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Councilmember Kuzma stated that although he has concerns regarding growth of staff, he also recognized that there has been a population growth as well. He stated that the City has already grown the staff and would not want to see a large increase to the staff. Councilmember LeTourneau stated that he would also like to determine an appropriate staffing increase comparative to the 12 percent increase in population. Councilmember Riley stated that there has been a 12 percent increase to the population while the staffing would have grown by 22 percent. City Administrator Ulrich stated that staff can bring additional information to provide comparison between the staff and population increases in order for the Council to make an informed decision. Finance Director Lund stated that she will also present a five year proposed budget for the Council to review further along in the budget process. Councilmember Kuzma referenced the area of roads and questioned if there would be a way to make a partial increase in 2016 that could be reserved for roads so the increase would not be so high in 2017. Finance Director Lund stated that could be done and simply requires a bit more bookkeeping. Mayor Strommen referenced the preliminary EDA budget and levy and noted that the budget is largely staffing, as the purpose of the EDA has shifted. She questioned if there is a benefit to placing some of those staffing costs under the EDA levy rather than placing all of the staffing costs in the general fund. Finance Director Lund stated that there is no difference and noted that she can place the salaries in thegeneral fund. Councilmember Johns stated that she likes the idea of placing the staffing costs in the general fund rather than splitting the item into two places. Councilmember LeTourneau stated that perhaps the EDA should have further discussion regarding the challenges and changes. Human Resources Manager Lasher reviewed the staffing levels before the recession and when the staffing cuts had been made, noting that there is no desire to go back to the bare bones approach as there was significant staff burnout. She stated that if you compare the staffing levels 11 years ago to what is proposed in 2016 that would only be an increase of 1.19 and noted all of the increased services the City provides. Mayor Strommen recognized the initial reaction of the Council in regard to the staffing chart and stated that is why the additional context is needed regarding the staff levels in order to ensure that the staffing level is sustainable in regard to workload and financially. City Council Work Session / July 14, 2015 Page 3 of 6