07-24-72 Council Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING JULY 24, 1972 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (CONTINUED) salary as those who have spent eight years on a job, since some of them have only been on the job for six months. No one in private industry gets a raise, plus vacation, during the first year. She said that she had heard on a local news broadcast that the city was going to take over some space on the 11th floor for the personnel department: -and some other offices and questioned whether this was to make room on the 14th floor for some of the new cabinet positions. She urged the Council to cut any items out of the salary ordinance now that they do not want included in the budget. Councilman Kopczynski asked for a clarification of the statement made on the use of space on the 11th floor. Mayor Miller replied that the city does have a problem with space on the 14th floor and that there is lack of sufficient desk space. There are more than 40 employees crowded into one corner of the floor. The city is paying rent for 26% of the floor space in the building. However, a study has revealed that they actually only have 20% of the floor space. They have met with the County Commissioners to try to obtain the full amount of space they are paying rent for and will get some additional space on the 10th or 11th floors, which were to be used for future expansion. He stressed that the cabinet offices will not be taking over the 14th floor. Mayor Miller also said that he felt it was an irresponsible statement to say that the change of employees should not entitle them to raises. He said that less than 100 changes in employees have been made since the first of the year. Many city employees have 12, 15 and more years on the job and they are loyal employees and deserving of increases. Mr. Buhle, of the Teamsters Union, spoke in agreement with the mayor's statement that many of the city employees were not new. He said that, through a union agreement with the previous administration, there was not a complete turnover of personnel. He said some employees have had long service through two city administrations and have 25 to 30 years of service. This results in increased efficiency for the city. Councilman Miller asked Mr. Buhle why the sanitation truck drivers and laborers are paid on a weekly, not an hourly, basis. Mr. Buhle said that this is a carryover from the initially negotiated contract and is based on incentive. Councilman Miller asked if these employees work a full forty -hour week since the proposed salary increase is based on that figure. Mr. Buhle said that he did not know but that these men must cover a specified route and must complete it whether it takes eight hours or ten hours. Councilman Miller then said that the Council had no information on specific job requirements in order to decide on salary in- creases and were making their recommendations on a philosophical judgment not on merit. Council- man Kopczynski asked Mr. Buhle whether or not it was unusual for these particular employees in the Sanitation Department to have a weekly salary. Mr. Buhle said that this was the way the con- tract was negotiated. These two positions are drivers of the garbage trucks and the laborers who ride the back of the trucks. Councilman Kopczynski said that this would be comparable to other truck drivers for the city. Mr. Buhle said that there would be a great deal of difference between driving a truck filled with sand or asphalt or one filled with garbage. Councilman Nemeth asked Mayor Miller if there were still going to be cuts made in the budget to provide for the salaries of the Human Resources Director and the Public Safety Director. Mayor Miller said that cuts would be made based on the salaries granted. Councilman Nemeth asked if the shortage of space on the 14th floor was because of the federal project offices. Mayor Miller replied that many of the federal programs were not in existence when the building was built and this has caused much of the overcrowding. Councilman Parent said that when you talk about setting salaries you are talking about the kind of service the city can provide which will cost the least amount of money to the citizens of the community. You want to get topflight personnel, train them and keep them. You can reward employees in various ways; by status, good feeling, but mainly in money. Councilman Parent said that he is in favor of paying city employees as much as the city can pay them in order to compete with the private sector. All positions of equal skill should receive equal money. They are asking the administration to prepare job descriptions for all positions in the next year in order to correct discrepancies. Councilman Serge said that he feels you cannot deny employees what they have coming to them. In order to maintain high stan- dards of service and programs, you must pay what the positions are worth. Councilman Kopczynski asked John J. Walsh, Director of Personnel and Purchasing, how many city positions are open at this time and if it is hard to find applicants. Mr. Walsh said that they have been trying for four months to hire an electrician for the Wastewater Treatment Plant, but cannot interest any qualified man because of the salary being offered, as compared to what an electrician in private industry could make. He said that there are about six positions open now and some places where they would hire new employees if they could get qualified people to apply. Mayor Miller said that, with the help of a Federal grant, the city is going to prepare a list of all job classifica- tions and descriptions which will be available to the Council. Councilman Szymkowiak questioned whether it is necessary to use federal funds for such a project and said that present .city em- ployees could do this work. Mayor Miller said that the city does not have the personnel to do this "so federal funds will be used. Councilman Nemeth moved for a fifteen minute recess, seconded by Councilman Taylor. The motion carried and the meeting recessed at 10:30 p.m. The Committee of the Whole meeting reconvened at 11:12 p.m. Councilman Parent said that the Fees and Salaries Committee has been working with the salary ordinance over the past six weeks. Mem- bers of the Committee are Councilmen Horvath, Kopczynski, Miller, Parent and Szymkowiak. Mr. Parent said that the Council had requested an opinion from Charles A. Sweeney, Jr., City Attorney, as to whether the Council has the legal authority to set salaries for employees of federally funded agencies. Mr. Sweeney sent the Council the following memorandum: "MEMORANDUM DATE: JULY 1972 " TO: Roger Parent FROM: Charles A. Sweeney, Jr. Subject: Authority of the Common Council to Review the Salaries of Federally Funded Positions. This is in response to your inquiry regarding the authority of the Common Council to approve the annual salaries of City employees as fixed by the Mayor. Pursuant to Burns 548 -1233 (b), the Mayor fixes salaries subject to the approval by the Common Council. It is my position that in instances where salaries are not "fixed" by the Mayor, but are arrived at as a result of a contract between the federal government and the City, the Council has no power of review. Last year's salary ordinance included federally funded jobs merely for informational purposes. Again in the spirit of cooperation, these positions have been listed in order to keep the Council abreast of all expenditures, whether they be municipal or federal in nature. Representatives of other cities in the State assure us that federally funded programs are not included in their salary ordinances.