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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />~ <br />~~HILLS <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />DATE: <br />TO: <br />FROM: <br />SUBJECT: <br /> <br />ITEM 2B <br /> <br />February 16,2005 <br /> <br />Mayor and City Council <br />Michelle Wolfe, City Administrator ~~ <br />February 22 Work Session Discussion: Engineering Services <br /> <br />Some time ago, the City Council authorized a new position of Civil Engineer. We conducted a <br />recruitment process last fall which resulted in only one applicant, who did not meet the minimum <br />qualifications for the position. <br /> <br />Since that time I have been researching possible options. Those options include: <br />1. Try another recruitment process <br />a. With no changes to the salary or job description <br />b. With changes to the salary and job description <br />i. Increased salary/titlelresponsibilities <br />ii. Change to a Engineering Technician position of some kind <br />2. Partner with a neighboring City for some engineering services <br />3_ Explore a different model for our consulting engineering contract services* <br /> <br />*This would involve a model used in several cities, where the contract engineering firm provides <br />a "City Engineer" who keeps an office at City Hall and primarily works out of City Hall. <br /> <br />There are advantages and disadvantages to each option. I have only done a limited amount of <br />research on Options 2 and 3 - enough to have a discussion. I am looking for Council input on <br />which option(s) I should continue to explore at this time. <br /> <br />In terms of Option I, I have limited hope regarding our ability to hire a staff engineer. We could <br />continue trying to recruit and hope that we eventually find someone. But the market is quite <br />limited. As currently designed, our position would be difficult to fill because we don't require a <br />PE ("Professional Engineer"), but the person we hire could not ever become a PE if they worked <br />here because in order to achieve that, you have to work for a PE. Anyone with a degree in <br />Engincering is going to strive for that goal, so our position would not appeal to them. <br /> <br />We could require a PE, but then we would likely have to consider increasing the salary and <br />responsibilities. My concern with this option is that we'd really be looking at a salary level with <br />Department Heads, and I don't think we want to create a "department of one". In addition, I'm <br />