HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 07-11 City wages compared, Citizen group finishes report THE REVIEW Citywages comparea
Cii�enfinishesgroup reportort
By MELANIE WAAGE program,and I see we also have two more justice court council. "The consultant
foresters," committee alternate Irene made some significant points in regards
After five months of work, the Gonzagowski said. "They are not to using the Ramsey County dispat-
Q Maplewood Citizens. Wage Committee checking trees deep into the woods for chers,"Wiegert said."He remarks on his
presented their report to the city council disease.Poor performance. And, in view dissatisfaction with the office of the
\O July 5.It was not met with overwhelming of the fact that the Dutch elm disease is sheriff and nd the
.There isfepoor land tpamobng
g
" enthusiasm from council members. letting up,I can't see the point in having pe
N. The charge of the 11-member corn- these people,when they aren't doing the unit
cocomtl recommendedton."
mittee,formed at citizens'request,was to job."
review the present and projected salaries
referring the
wage committee report to the city
Wi
THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY sub-
.....,) manager to determine what recom-
mendations for all permanent city employees. The committee recommended: follow the mCouncilman ndations to follow. Norm
intent was to assure the taxpayer and the president's guidelines for salary in Anderson seconded it. The councilvoted
council that both are receiving what they creases; promote from within; combine unanimously for the recommendation.
are paying for, good government at a staff positions and re-examine the THE REPORT also recommended the
reasonable and fair cost without excess necessity of department heads; give cost establishment of a permanent Citizens
personnel or excessive salaries. of living compensation similar to union Wage Budget Committee.The committee
THE STUDY WAS DIVIDED into four agreements; figure salaries on a yearly would be able to help with ideas and
areas: evaluation and job description; basis, as in private industry; eliminate recommendations on salaries, spending,
cost effectiveness; private industry; and the team approach and have direct and cutting costs,the report states. "If a
survey on comparative positions. responsibility. committee is formed,no more than five to
Under evaluation and job description, Committee member Don Houghton told seven people should be on it, anymore
the committee found that"they wrote the the council that the city was paying too becomes too much of a hon it, and have
job description to fit the person on the much for services not received. "There people that will attend meetings,and ones
job," and "this description excludes are a lot of pay raises and were not that have an open mind."
everyone but the assistant from getting our moneys worth.One guy puts in The committee recommended basing
qualifying for future vacancies," and an eight hour day, pushing a pencil and raises on the same dollar amount, not a
"why do they need two registered makes the same as a police chief that has percentage raise. This was because for
professional engineers in the public works to answer to the council and the corn raises based on a percentage, those who
corn-
department?" munity." receive a larger salary receive a larger
diThe sing system
forfothed a private FINALLY, the committee presented raise.The committee also recommended
Maplewood
systr extravagancecity of the council with a salary comparison eliminating the "team approach to
afford,Mapldnd recommend the usewe of not table. They compared the city staff salaries, or the team decisions." Their
county's andw dthe salaries with Blaine, Crystal, Coon report states this causes friction with the
sstem. well developed and proven Rapids, Roseville, St. Louis Park and employees.
pays
According to the report,the city Bloomington.The table developed a cost- In a final comment, councilman Burt
$92,355othein police deps and fringe g Murdock said,"I agree with the premise
benefits to department. They per-resident figure to help in making
rec
comparisons. of this committee.But,Maplewood has an
North $8,760 inl dispatchingndOkfees from But, Don Wiegert pointed out to the A-1 rating as far as police protection,and
North St. Paul and Oakdale. They I'd hate to lose that."
estimate the minimum expense to the city committee the figures were not usable
at$86,720. Ramsey County could provide because city taxes are not collected on a
the services,based on the 1979 population, per resident basis, and it doesn't include
for a fee of$32,000.The estimate of$86,720 the cost to industry, which bears a
minus $32,040 equals $54,680, the figure majority of the city expenses.
the wage committee told the council could "We have a good industrial tax base
that makes up the difference in our cost
be
That saved committeeusing the also
services.recomended per resident," Wiegert said. "Also, in
hiring of an attorney for legal counsel in your salary comparison,you should have
lieu of consultant services. Based on a includea the number of square miles
survey with other attorneys, the com- employees have to administer.
mittee thought an attorney could be hired "I find the report containing inac-
for$30,000 a year,while last year,the city curacy, inconsistency, irrelevancy,
spent$92,000 on attorney's fees,the report vagueness and incomplete information. I
stated. had hoped the report would go further and
FURTHER RECOMMENDATION was help us with a pay plan, which was the
to eliminate the position of full time original formation of the committee."
forestry technician and use the parks' WIEGERT then referred to the corn-
foreman for the diseased tree program. mittee's recommendation to use county
"We do have a parks' foreman with dispatchers. He had a report completed
knowledge about the diseased tree June 5 by.a consultant for the criminal