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Special City Council Meeting Thursday,July 18, 2013 Page 12 At the request of Councilmember Etten, Chief Mathwig reviewed the peer cities (5 larger/5 smaller cities) used regularly by the unions in their compensation stud- ies; with Human Resources Manager Eldona Bacon doing that research and un- ions doing their own research on occasion as well. Chief Mathwig advised that the cities changed depending on demographics used. Chief Mathwig reviewed current contracts, with the Sergeants Union on a three (3) year contract; and offic- ers generally having a 1-2 year contract; and comparable cities information — available to the public — available when reviewed. At the request of Coun- cilmember Etten, Chief Mathwig advised that the Officer's Union contract would be up in 2014, and estimated that it negotiations would follow similarly that of the Sergeant's and estimated at an increase of 2.5% COLA. Mayor Roe opined that the take away for Councilmembers to consider was that collective bargaining units would most likely always be at 100% of peer cities av- erages versus non-union employees. At the request of Councilmember McGehee, Chief Mathwig reviewed the simplis- tic compensation study by the unions using data from cities having their own po- lice departments and not contracting with sheriff's departments. Councilmember McGehee opined that the minimal cost for the New American's Forum didn't seem significant given its positives; and questioned if Chief Mathwig anticipated expanding it to other groups beyond the Karen community; and questioned if it should be an annual event or more or less frequent. Chief Mathwig responded that the Karen group were identified as the most vul- nerable group in the United States and in Roseville and therefore remained of greater focus for the department. Chief Mathwig opined that many of the other groups were or could be supported through a support group of interpreters, written materials geared toward their ethnicity and meetings, with options remaining open at this time, but of interest to the department in pursuing, in particular the large Roseville population of Somali residents, even though they were not as vulnerable as the Karen residents. Chief Mathwig noted that a grant from the Roseville Foundation grant primarily funded the last Forum. Councilmember Etten opined that, given their vulnerability, the City should con- tinue to support focused interaction with Karen community in the 2014 budget; and asked that Interim City Manager Trudgeon incorporate it in the City Coun- cil's work plan, which was duly noted by Mr. Trudgeon. While the department had looked to fund an additional Community Service Of- ficer (CS)) above the current three part-time CSO's, with funding of$20,000 in the 2013 budget, Chief Mathwig expressed his reluctance to move that forward to the 2014 budget if needing to take funds from other department functions or activ- ities.