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<br />Regular City Council Minutes -12/08/03 <br />Page 3 <br /> <br />Mayor Kysylyczyn asked questions about the Fire <br />Department Memo (Bench Handout) following up from <br />the December 4, 2003 Special Council meeting held to <br />look at the Fire Department budget. <br /> <br />Discussion ensued among Councilmembers about the <br />proposed Fire Department Trainer position. <br /> <br />Counciln1ember Kough question whether the position <br />would be filled by an internal candidate. <br /> <br />Assistant Fire Chief O'Neill responded that the position <br />would be posted internally and externally. <br /> <br />Councilmember Klausing addressed the role of the City <br />Council in setting policy; and supported an environment <br />encouraging innovation; and with department managers <br />recommending creation of the position, outlined as <br />revenue-neutral, with no additional costs and a potential <br />future savings of approximately $13,300; he was inclined <br />to support their recommendation. <br /> <br />Councilmember Schroeder concurred in theory with <br />Councilmember Klausing if the economy was strong and <br />viable; but noted the $700,000 reduction in Local <br />Government Aid (LGA) from the State, in addition to the <br />cuts or level budget challenges requested from other <br />departments; and the inconsistency of creating an <br />additional position in another department at this time. <br /> <br />Mayor Kysylyczyn outlined the previous legal opinion of <br />the City Attorney in outlining the authority of the City <br />Council for creation or elimination of positions; and <br />opined that once positions were created it was difficult to <br />eliminate them in the public sector. <br /> <br />Further discussion and debate ensued related to <br />ramifications of increasing staffing during an economic <br />downturn and the difficulty of eliminating those positions <br />in the future. <br />