Agenda - Council - 11/28/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Engineer Westby stated that the organization has been planning for the creation of the Fourth Generation Plan and believes that the LRRWMO has sufficient funds for the development of that plan and therefore the contribution has been reduced. Councilmember LeTourneau referenced Family Promise, stating that he is a bit uncomfortable with the Family Promise line item as there are many similar, worthy organizations and therefore it would be hard to pick just one organization. He stated that perhaps there is a method that staff would use to vet donation requests that the City receives. City Administrator Ulrich stated that in the past there has been discussion of the groups that the City has a lot of participation with. He stated that the policy has been to look at the direct relationship between the services the City provides and the services that these organizations provide. Mayor Strommen stated that it is her recollection that the funding of items of this nature has been based on the services that are provided by the organization that would reduce the need for the City to provide those resources directly. It was the consensus of the Council to remove the Family Promise line item from the budget. Councilmember LeTourneau referenced an email that was received from a resident who shared their dislike of the budget. He noted that is the first time that he has received objection to the work the City is doing on the budget. He stated that he did invite the resident to talk in person, and he really enjoyed the discussion that they had. He stated that the resident was perhaps not comfortable with the levy but better understood how the system is working and what the City is trying to do. He stated that the resident was troubled with the public works position proposed to be added and asked for additional justification for adding the position. Public Works Director Riemer stated that this position would restore the 2011 staffing level, noting that the department has been running shorthanded. He stated that the City relies on seasonal help and that pool of workers continues to shrink with the increased needs in the workforce. He stated that seasonal student workers have limitations on the equipment that they are able to run, which is why the full-time position is helpful. He highlighted the work that his staff handles each season. He noted that while the depaitinent is maintaining the core functions, they are not able to complete all the duties necessary and if someone is absent on a vacation or because of sickness that also requires moving employees around. He stated that when people travel to the community for a sports activity, the parks are what they are seeing as representation of the City. Mayor Strommen agreed that parks are a very important part of someone's perception of the City. Parks and Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood stated that there is a lot of new demand with the approved improvements, parks, facilities, and roads and the department is still working shorthanded. He noted that while there is a place for seasonal workers, there is also a need for full-time employees that can perform other necessary duties. City Council Work Session / November 14, 2017 Page 3 of 7