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City council Study Session <br />Monday, .1uly 16, 2007 <br />Page 10 <br />Mr. Miller noted that the majority of the City's services and programs <br />were "labor intensive," meaning that a major portion of operational <br />expenses were personnel costs (wages and benefits) and were outpac- <br />ing inflation, thus causing the City to lose ground. Mr. Miller advised <br />that a recurring theme would be found in each department and city- <br />wide, that trying to keep pace with inflation and personnel costs were <br />diminishing sustainability in other areas. Mr. Miller further noted that <br />the City needed to be in a position to attract and retain quality em- <br />ployees and recognize the City's susceptibility to the private sector, as <br />well as other public entities and agencies. Mr. Miller advised that the <br />current path was not sustainable, anal with citizen expectations for <br />providing a high level of service, the City was beginning to show <br />stress in maintaining that level of service, and was experiencing di- <br />minishing returns on stafrns ability to provide the expected level of <br />service that the public demanded. <br />Each department (Administration;)presented an overall operations <br />statement, showing their 2007 budget, total full-time equivalent em- <br />ployees (FTE's) for 2007, percentage of personnel costs related to the <br />overall department operational budget, revenue sources, accomplish- <br />ments over the last five (5) years; 2002 - 2007 Budget and operational <br />opportunities, challenges and impacts; and 2008 objectives and priori- <br />ties. <br />A copy of the department-specific Power Point presentation is at- <br />tached hereto and made a part thereof. <br />The Administration Department was represented by Finance Director <br />Chris Miller; the Police Department was represented by Police Chief <br />Sletner; the Fire Department by Fire Chief Rich Gasaway; the Public <br />Works and Engineering Department by Public Works Director Duane <br />Schwartz; the Parks and Recreation Department by Director Lonnie <br />Brokke; and the Community Development Department by Director <br />John Stark. <br />Highlights and discussion points in general included increasing fuel <br />costs and impacts to supply and material costs; employee retention <br />and succession planning and training to retain institutional expertise <br />