02-05-14 Joint Meeting Health and Public Safety & Personnel and Finance

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** JOINT MEETING ** FEBRUARY 5, 2014 5:10 P.M. • HEALTH & PUBLIC SAFETY • PERSONNEL & FINANCE Committee Members Present: Health & Public Safety Derek Dieter, Henry Davis, Dr. Fred Ferlic, Tim Scott Personnel & Finance Valerie Schey, Derek Dieter, Dr. David Varner (AB), Henry Davis Other Council Present: Oliver Davis, Karen White (AB), Gavin Ferlic (AB) Others Present: Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Shubhada Kambli, Kathryn Roos, John Murphy, Chuck Bulot Agenda: Update from 2013 budget hearings on proposal to combine Code Enforcement & Building Department The joint committee hearing was called to order at 5:16 by Health and Public Safety Chair Derek Dieter. He stated the purpose of the hearing was to find out if the City was making moves to combine the Neighborhood Code Enforcement Department and the Building Department. This initiative proposed by the Mayor Pete Buttigieg during the 2014 budget hearings last years was criticized and ultimately rejected by the Council. According to the adopted 2014 budget each department was to remain separate and autonomous. Information to the contrary had recently come to the Council a combination of the departments would be contrary to Council wishes and the Council wanted to find out if rumors of a de facto combination were true. The Mayor responded to the Council saying he was not moving to combine the departments though he was still convinced it was a good idea and hoped to propose the plan again in the 2015 budget review. Mayor Pete went on to say he and his department heads were always looking for ways to increase service levels while lowering taxes. Derek Dieter questioned the recent dismissal of three employees from Neighborhood Code Enforcement (NCE) as evidence of the combination proceeding contrary to the Council's wishes. Oliver Davis also questioned the three dismissals from NCE. He wondered if the City had a progressive discipline process for its employees. He also asked if the employees let go had been given the opportunity to train. The Mayor said personnel changes were made to improve services. Training for other positions was made available. He added that the City personnel policies were in need of an update.