Minutes - Council Work Session - 06/28/2022

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Administrative Services Director Lasher reviewed the role of the Communications and Events Coordinator that is currently vacant. She stated the Staff recommendation is to separate events from the Communications Coordinator role because they are different skills sets and pay scales. She reviewed the staff report and added information from a visit to the City of Elk River that in addition to their four full-time communication staff they sometimes have assistance from the Cable Commission. She stated the Parks and Rec Department handles event coordination. She stated Staff is requesting a full-time Communication Coordinator and to begin recruitment. She stated Elk River staff suggested the candidate for this position have graphic design skills. She reviewed research for pay scale for the position and found the current salary was quite low. She requested increasing the pay scale to the average pay scale rate. She reviewed the duties performed by the former Communications and Events Coordinator in answer to Council’s question what would be included in the role. City Administrator Hagen added as they were talking, they considered what else this position could do. He stated they discussed that the Deputy City Administrator role was removed from the Community Development Director role because that position was busy in itself. He stated it could become a quasi-assistant to the City Administrator role for such things as the compiling of all the policies and making them more readable and uniform and doing research on resident inquiries, tasks that would be helpful. Councilmember Howell asked about the Elk River Communications Coordinator position that was posted and the salary, how did the Ramsey benefit package compare, or what value could be brought to this position to try to capture a good candidate. Administrative Services Director Lasher replied the benefits are very similar. She stated one competitive edge is that Ramsey has an employee telecommuting policy in draft form and allow some telecommuting. She thought this position would be important to have face-to-face conversations but could be opened up a little for telecommuting and could offer flexible work schedules. Councilmember Howell replied those are huge assets right now. If a salary could be offered similar to Elk River but offered some benefits that would be great to draw candidates. Administrative Services Director Lasher reported the Elk River position is an exempt position, more of a professional position that tops out at $88,000 a year, about $10,000 more than Ramsey’s. Councilmember Howell asked if the salary listed on the website, $74,000, isn’t right. City Administrator Hagen explained they are two different positions. He thought the position Ramsey is looking at is more in line with the Elk River Communication Coordinator, the one they are advertising now is a senior level with some supervisory responsibilities. Administrative Services Director Lasher added the price she gave, the $88,000, is the Senior Communication Coordinator. City Council Work Session / June 28, 2022 Page 8 of 20