06-25-07 Item 4F, Planner I Recruitment

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MEMORANDUM DATE: June 25, 2007 Agenda Item 4.F. TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michelle Wolfe, City Administrator Schawn Johnson, Assistant City Administrator!.~ SUBJECT: Motion to direct staff to recruit for the position of Planner I, with a starting salary range of $40,000-45,000, per the attached draft job description, with an initial term for the position through December 31, 2008. Backl!round: In evaluating the work load relating to the City Council's priorities for the Community Development Department, as well as the increased duties relating to the TCAAP project, staff is strongly recommending the creation of a Planner I position. The Planner I will take on a variety of planning-related activities, allowing the existing City Planner to focus on larger more complex planning cases, the comprehensive plan update, and TCAAP-related duties. This position will also be able to assist the Community Development Director with various department priorities. The Preliminary Development Agreement (PDA) between the City of Arden Hills and RRLD, Inc. includes within its budget $75,000 for this position. The PDA agreement is effective until March 2008. In order to successfully recruit for this position, we are recommending that the position be created for a minimum term through December 2008. We may need to budget a contingency amount for the general fund in 2208, should the PDA expire (without being extended or without a Master Development Agreement to succeed it) or the TCAAP project not proceed. Weare not confident we would be able to successfully recruit for this position without this commitment. For City Council review, City staff has attached a copy of the proposed City Planner VII position description. (As drafted, the proposed new position would be a Planner I, while the existing City Planner would function as a Planner II. The current pay range for the existing City Planner position is $46,114 to $60,688. Both positions and related job description(s) will be further reviewed as part of the pay equity study that is currently underway.) The proposed starting salary range for the Planner I position is $40,000 to $45,000 per year. For informational purposes, City staff has included a copy of the 2006 League of Minnesota Cities salary data for a general City Planner position in the communities that have populations between 5,000 and 30,000. The average compensation for a general City Planner in the State of Minnesota is