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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/10/19681-1 L 1 City Council Minutes June 3, 1968 Page 8 28.7 The adjourned meeting of June 5. 1968 was adjourned to Monday,•June.10,.1968 at 11:30 A.M. by the City Clerk. APPROVED: June 17, 1968 Roll Call City Staff Y. H. FITZPATRICK CITY CLERK , MINUTES ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL June 10, 1968 - 11:30 A.M. CITY HALL Present: Emmons Blake, Frank Gallagher, Arthur F. Spring, Donald Q. Miller, Clell W. Whelchel Present: J. H. Fitzpatrick, City.Clerk; R. D. Miller, Administrative Officer. 1. Representatives of the Retail Merchants' Association again appeared before the City Council regarding their request to close Higuera Street from Morro Street to Broad Street on Saturday, July 27, 1968 for the purpose of putting on a Flea Market promotion. Eric Niland, representing the Merchants Association, stated they had looked into the suggestions of the City Council but felt that Garden Street and Garden Alley would be too small to accommodate the promotion they had in mind. The City Council felt that Higuera Street was important to traffic circulation, but agreed that until the program was tried, it would be difficult to know the problems if any. On motion of Councilman Miller, seconded by Councilman Blake, that Higuera Street be closed from Morro Street to Broad Street on July 27, 1968 for the Flea Market promotion with Chorro Street being left open. Motion carried. On motion of Councilman Miller, seconded by Councilman Gallagher, the license fee for Flea Market Operators other than those presently licensed by the City, would be $1.00 per vendor per day. Motion carried. 2. The City Council went over the request of the CEA for salary increases and other fringe benefits as follows: ' Item No. 2. This City still has one of.the most outdated vacation programs in the State. We ask the City Council to adopt the following program. This program is actually less than the average of the agencies studied, which also includes the nine largest local employers. We feel that the minimum program should give 10 days per year, until 5 years, 12 days per year from 5 years until 10 years, 15 days per year from 10 years until 15 years and 18 days thereafter. On motion of Councilman Blake, seconded by Councilman Gallagher, that the City maintain the existing vacation:schedule.. Motion carried. .Councilman Miller voting no. City Council Minutes June 10, 1968 Page 2 Item No. 2B. Vacation should be allowed to be carried over at a rate of one year's accumulation. The average carryover of agencies studied is 20.1 days. . . On motion of Councilman Miller, seconded by Councilman Spring, that the existing policy of holding over one week's vacation be continued. Motion carried. Item No. 2C. We would like to.see an employee be paid his next regular salary check for the vacation period in advance, if payday falls within his vacation period. It was the consensus of the _City Council that it continue the existing policy of having the Finance Department deposit the employee's check upon request. Item No. 3. According to the California League of Cities' 1968 Survey of Salary and Working Conditions, the City of San Luis Obispo pays all outside employees time and one half for overtime worked. This is not the case. Most department heads and the Employees' Association feel that overtime should be handled uniformly throughout the City. As of now, some forces such as the Park Department and Sewer Plant must take C.T.O. and often cannot take it at all because of pressing work load. We feel very strongly the policy of paying overtime as accumulated should be put into effect, rather than forcing the employee to take time off or ignoring the situation altogether. On motion of Councilman Spring, seconded by Councilman Gallagher, no change in existing City overtime policy. Motion carried. Councilman Miller voting no. Item No. 4. For years the Water and Street Departments have had to supply one employee from each department who is on standby for emergency calls for one week. The employee must, night and'day, be in reach of a telephone for the seven day period. He is expected to respond to all calls and work up to 8 hours at no compensation other than the $20.00 base rate. When, as is often necessary, he must call on a fellow employee for help, the other man -is paid time and one half' This is obviously not fair and our recommended plan would call for the $20.00 base rate , to cover the standing by and that call -out time be paid for at the standard time and one half rate. It was the Council's opinion that the standby allowance would include the first hour on each call and after the first hour the employee would receive the normal time and one half rate for overtime. Item No. 5. As yet, we have received no word about our health insurance rates for the next year, but we would like to see the Council continue the policy of paying the individual employee's premium. The City Council agreed with the request. Item No. 6A. Although no employee has yet reached the 120 day limit on sick leave, the limit should be removed because the long time employee who has accumulated the maximum and becomes seriously ill could'have insufficient sick leave to cover his illness and any employee who reaches the limit might have a tendency to stay home under marginal conditions. City employees do not have a tendency to misuse their sick leave. No change in existing policy as no employee has reached the maximum number of sick leave days. Item No. 6B. The Association's feeling is also that an employee should be off work over 5 days before having to bring a note from the doctor, rather than the 3 day's absence, as it is now. Many times a severe cold or flu will confine a person within his home for 3'days and not require a doctor's treatment, making it necessary for the employee to get an appointment for a note to substantiate his illness. The City Council agreed with the recommendation of the CEA. Item No. 7. The Association feels that no City employee should use his or her privately owned vehicle on City business and, likewise, no employee should use a City vehicle on private business. But, in case this is absolutely necessary, due to an insufficient number of vehicles available in the department, the City should, honor all claims for mileage at 8p per mile, the rate which is advertised as being paid in the League of Cities survey. This claim should be countersigned by the Department Head. The 8C will not cover the cost of the additional liability insurance necessary, but will cover most of the cost of town driving. City Council Minutes June 10, 1968 Page 3 It. was the Council's - instruction that there would be no use of private vehicles for City work without prior approval of the Department head and Administrative Officer. Item No. 8. Another point which should be brought up at this time is the matter of granting a 15C /hour shift differential.for employees working outside the normal 8:00 to 5:00, Monday through Friday week. This would not include the Fire or Police Departments, as their salaries are supposed to reflect their rotating shifts. The operator of the street sweeper, the painters, night men at the utility plants and. some members of the Park and Library Departments, would be covered by this.plan. Most of the employees so covered are now earning less than $3.25 /hour. This would amount to about 4% differential, a figure which is about standard for. odd, hour compensation. The City Council felt there would be no shift differential allowed, as upon employment, each person knew whether or not the job involved odd shift work. Item No. 9. The Council should consider the creation of two new classifications. The position of.Heavy.Equipment Operator should be established for the Public Works employee who is the Motor Grader Operator. This is a special skill. The position is.now filled -by a foreman, who should be reclassified. Over 90% of all cities have this position. Eight positions of Engineer should be created in the Fire Department, in recognition of the added duties, training and responsibilities of personnel serving as driver - operator of fire equipment. The City Council approved the request and added one position of Motor Grader Operator but no additional position for engineer in the Fire Department. Item No. 10. As it exists now, there is too large a gap in the position of Chief Utility Plant Operator and Utility Plant Operator II. There is now a salary difference of $128.00 per month.- The duties of the Operator II are at times the same as the Chief Operator and we suggest the Operator II's salary be raised to two and one half steps below the upper position, rather than the existing four.step gap. The Administrative Officer said he had recommended an additional half step for the Utility.Plant Operator II. Item.No. 11. When a girl has the sole responsibility.for all the secretarial work in the department in which she works, such - as the Public Works Department, Fire Department; etc., she.should have the title of Secretary and a commensurate salary of one step over the present range. There appears to be an unjustified pay difference between Legal and Administrative Secretary and the stenographer's positions. The Administrative Officer said he had prepared his recommendations for stenographer, taking into consideration the fact that some in this position performed the duties of departmental secretary. Item No. 12. It should be noted that the Fire Department position of Dispatcher - Clerk is still in need of reclassification. This position should be changed to Account Clerk III level. The salary now paid for this particular job is at least two steps low. The Administrative Officer said he had recommended that the Dispatcher -Clerk in the Fire Department be classified as a Senior Typist Clerk and be paid an extra half step. Item No. 13. Arlene Hyer, in the Park Department, is employed as a part time employee in the office and part time in the field as a recreation supervisor. The Administrator has not allowed the time to be combined to allow her to be eligible for retirement, insurance, etc. We feel that she should be given the classification of Recreation Supervisor. This would be quite advantageous for our recreation program, as we could use more women's activities, which should be supervised by women. The Administrative Officer said he had recommended that Mrs. Hyer be hired as a full -time women's supervisor. City Council Minutes June 10, 1968 Page 4 Item No. 14. Jim Stockton, whose classification is Park and Recreation Supervisor, does the job of Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation and should be classified as such. This title change would be extremely advantageous to him in the profession, such as when he represents the City at conventions, communicates with suppliers or other Park Departments, etc. It was the Council's feeling that due to the reorganization of the Park and Recreation Department in 1968 that no reclassification of employees take effect at this time. Item No. 15. For the Council's consideration is the proposal to give the employee a free day off each year, in exchange for all employees working on Columbus Day. This allows the City Government to be in operation for one additional day per year, with no expense or inconvenience. Request was approved with the employees to take the day off on their birthday or if on a Saturday or Sunday to take off "Friday'or Monday.' The City Council-also determined that no Department heads would be allowed'to go to the League of California Cities Meetings except the Administrative Officer and City Clerk as the other Department heads are attending meetings in their own specialty. The item of placing gunite in-the drainage channel along Cuesta Drive was placed back in the budget under the condition that the property owners fence off their property to protect people and children falling in the drainage channel. The City Council continued their discussion with representatives of the CEA on the Association requesting salary and fringe benefits. On motion of Councilman Gallagher, seconded by Councilman Spring,-the Director of Planning and Building was to receive the same salary increase as the other Department heads. Motion carried. P. Landell, President of the CEA, brought to the Council's attention the gap of 7 steps in the salary range between the firemen and fire captain and urged that the City Council bridge this gap in half by adding the position of fire engineer. On motion of Councilman Miller, seconded by Mayor Whelchel, that the City establish eight positions of fire engineer at a salary range one step above fireman, with vacancies to be filled by written examination. Motion carried. Councilman Blake voting no. P. Landell appealed to the City Council for salary adjustments for the Secretary/ Stenographer positions which he feels after comparison with other agencies, that the recommended adjustment will still be behind the medium salaries of other agencies. P. Landell also urged the City Council to reconsider their-decision on salary increases and allow an additional one and one half step increase to each position so that the City salaries can catch up with comparable agencies. On motion of Councilman Gallagher, seconded by Councilman Spring, the City Council accepted the recommendations of the Administrative Officer on salaries-as amended by the City Council. Motion carried. Councilman Miller voting no. On motion of Councilman Blake, seconded by Councilman Spring, the meeting adjourned to 11:30 A.M. Wednesday, June 12, 1968. Motion carried. APPROVED: July 1, 1968 H. FITZPATRICK CITY CLERK- 1 1