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Monday evening, August 31, 2009. Informal Meeting of the City Council held in the Council Chambers, City Hall.~ Meeting called to order by President Janssens at 6:00 o’clock p.m.
Members present (Councillors Anderson, Ares, Boudreau, J. Cormier, R. Cormier, Dembrosky, Graves, Jaillet, Minns, President Janssens) one absent (Councillor Robinson).
President Janssens called for discussion on the Mayor’s proposed reorganization of the City Clerk, City Collector of Taxes, and City Treasurer’s Offices.
Councillor Dembrosky made the following points:
- How the Mayor’s reorganization proposal cited quarterly tax billing as affecting November City Elections.
- Loss of staff hours within a single department.
- Mayor’s proposed reorganization plan incorporated the DOR/Local Services Management Report language in his report.
Councillor Boudreau made the following points:
- The City has nothing to lose to try being more efficient, more user friendly.
- Supports the Mayor’s efforts to cross-train employees.
- Spoke with several other communities –payback associated with changes [realized] in six months.
- This is a great direction – processes can be tweaked along the way.
Councillor Joshua Cormier made the following points:
- Ordinance changes will be needed to achieve steps.
- Efficiencies cannot always be measured in dollars.
- Reorganization proposal is a pro-active statement on addressing inefficiencies.
- Spoke with several department heads – all are in support of proposed changes.
Councillor Anderson made the following points:
- Is not is support – proposal is poorly timed.
- Concurred with Councillor Dembrosky – there is a cost to office renovations.
- Money is a concern.
- Contends the problems will not fall into the Mayor’s lap, but Council’s.
- A single place to pay “does not work”.
- Asked if the Union is involved in [developing] job descriptions.
At 6:30 P.M., President Janssens recessed the meeting in order to open the scheduled Special Meeting.
At 6:31 P.M., President Janssens reopened the Informal Meeting.
Mayor Hawke addressed the Council, making the following points:
- He believes this reorganization works for Gardner.
- There is a cost for “IT” (Information Technology). IT should be its own department – hire a person to handle “in house”.
- No ordinance changes needed for Auditor, Clerk, Collector and Treasurer.
- Checks and balances – Assessors commit taxes, Collector collects taxes. Same for water/sewer.
- Reorganization allows for greater cross-training.
- 75% to 80% of [MA] communities have Treasurer/Collectors’ offices.
- DOR [Local Services] recommends this is a perfect time to make changes with retirement of Clerk/Collector.
- Referenced Union contracts – credited department heads for addressing personnel issues with employees.
Councillor Graves made the following points:
- Is leery of taking advice from the DOR.
- The proposed reorganization looks like change for the sake of change.
- Section 20 of the City Charter makes reorg, Council’s decision.
- Asked for status of Ordinance Review changes that the Committee he chaired presented to the Mayor two years ago.
Councillor Jaillet made the following points:
- He is not in favor of the reorg. at this time.
- He has spoken with department heads – not always clear with what is going on with proposed reorg.
- He has not been involved with the process at all.
- Suggested Council take until January to review the reorg. proposal.
- Morale is not there, no spirit in the building [City Hall].
- Would like more time to work together with the Mayor and department heads to make the reorg. work.
Councillor Joshua Cormier made the following points:
- The original Resolution was a “blank check”.
- Expects to see the supporting steps.
- Has been sold on the proposed changes – has reached out to the Mayor – agrees with the end product, approves the philosophy behind the reorg.
Councillor Boudreau made the following points:
- Questioned what will happen to the City Clerk if the proposed reorg. does not pass.
- Questioned why the City Council approved the position of City Clerk while reorg. questions were pending.
Councillor Minns made the following points:
- The reorg. proposal should come before the Council piecemeal, one department at a time.
- The process has been messy, not a good idea to move offices around all at once.
- We should advance the reorg. plans.
Councillor Ares made the following points:
- The proposed reorg. changes have been discussed at the Finance Committee several times – the report was favorable.
- The Council can tweak the process along the way – cannot let change scare the Council.
- Supports the proposed changes.
Councillor Dembrosky made the following points:
- Read from Section 10 of the City Charter that the City Council, not the Mayor, “may from time to time by ordinance, subject to the provisions of this act and in accordance with general laws, reorganize, consolidate or abolish departments, in whole or in part; may transfer the duties, powers and appropriations of one department to another, in whole or in part; may establish new departments; and may increase, reduce, establish or abolish salaries of heads of departments or members of boards. Nothing in this section shall authorize any action in conflict with the civil service laws and the rules and regulations made there under”.
- This reorg. falls on the Council’s lap – the power is in the Council’s lap.
- Asked how we got where we are now.
- Read from the Minutes of the June 1, 2009 City Council meeting – “On motion made by Councillor R. Cormier, seconded by Councillor K. Dembrosky to have the Council President advertise for the position of City Clerk and for him to the President allow the Mayor and Finance Committee the opportunity to explore the reorganization of the Collector/Treasurer as recommended in the DOR review.”
- Asked of we do not combine these two offices (Treasurer/Collector), could the City Clerk do the job if asked.
- Suggested the City Clerk finish out Kathleen Lesneski’s unexpired term as Collector of Taxes until January 2010. We will then not have to move any offices.
- Let’s see what the next few months bring us. This would be a temporary solution.
Councillor Boudreau made the following points:
- We didn’t advertise for the job [of City Clerk-Tax Collector]. Should ask the City Solicitor if we can legally make this appointment.
Councillor Graves made the following point:
- In his opinion, city employees are given new responsibilities all the time. They have the option to quit.
Councillor Ronald Cormier made the following points:
- The Charter is what we have [to work with]. Maybe it is time to look at a Charter change, perhaps a City Manager.
- We did ask the DOR [for their advice].
- Some physical changes will need to occur to make this happen.
- Councillors are legislators, not executives or managers. We need input form the department heads.
- We have opportunities for efficiencies and streamlining.
Councillor Dembrosky made the following points:
- Addressed a previously expressed concern about adding the Tax Collector’s position to the City Clerk’s duties. Would the Council then have to re-advertise the position of a combined Treasurer/Collector, she asked.
City Solicitor John Flick made the following points:
- The City Council can make these [combined] appointments.
- He does not believe it requires a formal job posting.
President Janssens recessed the meeting at 7:25 P.M. upon a question by Councillor Joshua Cormier concerning parliamentary process (rescission vote).
President Janssens reconvened the meeting at 7:35 P.M. He announced the Council can vote to rescind at any time.
Denise Merriam, President, Council 93, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1717.04, AFL-CIO, representing City Hall employees, addressed the Council:
- The Union has informed the Mayor of obligation to impact bargain and extra duties imposed as a result of reorganization.
- Requested of the Mayor any job descriptions for revised positions and duties.
Councillor Dembrosky made the following points:
- Offered clarification – the Tax Collector’s Office takes in real estate, personal property, and [motor vehicle] excise taxes.
President Janssens declared the informal meeting closed at 7:47 P.M.
Accepted by the City Council: 09/08/2009
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