Mayor and City Council
City Hall Conference Room
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
6:23 P.M.
Present – Mayor Lee N. Fiedler, Council Members Floyd “Pete” Elliott, Edward C. Hedrick, Jr., Harold L. Hendershot, Jr., and Harold L. Hendershot, Jr., and Terance J. Rephann.
Also Present – Jeffrey E. Repp, City
Absent – Mr. Michael Cohen, City Solicitor
I. Public Meeting Review: - Jeffrey Repp, City
Charter Amendment Resolution - Providing for the Exemption of the Deputy Chief of Police from the classified service of the City. Mr. Repp reviewed the CAR noting this would add the position of Deputy Chief of Police to those exempt from the classified service and make it a contract position. He added the CAR would be effective 50 days after passage at which time a contract would be offered for this position. He added there was an order on the agenda for approval creating the position of Deputy Chief of Police.
Orders (Consent Agenda) - The consent agenda was discussed as follows:
1. Accepting the proposal of Two Way Radio for the purchase of radios for use of the Police Department - $29,925.00 Homeland Security Grant Funds
2. Awarding Community Legacy funding to Larcorp, LLC,
Mr. Repp advised this was re-award of community legacy funding of funds made available due to a transfer of funds from the Self-
3. Adopting an amended Table of Organization for the City of Cumberland Police Department to include the position of Deputy Chief of Police
4. Accepting the proposal of Triad Engineering, Inc. for testing concrete for the Center City Parking Garage Restoration Project - $5,068.00
5. Authorizing the City
Councilman Rephann asked who would be occupying the space being rented. Mr. Repp responded that office space would be rented for Darrell Powell, Fair Housing Specialist, who would be moving from the
6. Authorizing Chief Charles Hinnant, Police Chief, to execute a Grant Agreement between the Cumberland Police Department and the Allegany County Health Department for overtime costs related to DUI law enforcement - $3,500.00
7. Authorizing Chief Charles Hinnant, Police Chief, to execute a Comprehensive Anti-Gang Activity Strategy Grant between the Cumberland Police Department and the U. S. Department of Justice - $122,475.00
Chief Charles Hinnant, Police Chief, explained this grant and the funding would be used overtime, equipment, training and education.
8. Re-appointments to the Historic Preservation Commission – Charles Manto and Kirsten Hansen and Re-appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals – Russell Livengood (3 Year Terms)
9. Authorizing the Mayor to execute a Listing Agreement between the City of Cumberland and Coldwell Banker Workmeister, Realtors, for the exclusive right to sell City-owned property located known as Lot #2, James Day Drive in the City of
10. Rescinding Order No. 24,418 adopted September 5, 2006, for WWTP/WFP Analytical Services with Mountain Research, Inc. and awarding the contract to Fairway Laboratory Services, Inc. for a term of one year effective January 15, 2007.
11. Adopting an Irrigation Water Tap Policy
12. Adopting amended Rules and Regulation for Government – amending rules 17 and 18
Mr. Repp advised the amended rules and regulations previously reviewed by Council would be presented via this order and would become effective upon adoption of this order.
II Hendrick’s Compensation Study – Mr. Hendricks
Mr. Hendricks reviewed that approximately fours ago the Council contracted with Hendricks & Associates, Inc., for the purpose of doing a compensation survey making recommendations for adjustments to salary ranges and had currently contracted with him to provide an updated survey of salaries and benefits. He reviewed that comparisons were made with other Allegany County and other government agencies of a comparable size to the City of Cumberland showing that the City’s proposed mid-points are 12% below market with benefits being comparable with the exception that the City makes the full contribution for the Police retirement plan. He developed salary trend lines and made recommendations for adjustments to the City’s salary ranges reviewing those with the Council.
Mr. Hendricks recommended adopting the salary ranges of the
Mr. Hendricks requested the adoption of the report in principal.
Mr. Repp asked for confirmation that to get everyone to minimum would cost approximately $35,000 and affect between 20 and 25 employees, and to bring everyone to mid-point would cost between 6 and 8%. Mr. Hendricks confirmed and also suggested that more important than the actual range would be to provide enough monies so people can start moving up. He added if you just bring people below minimum up to minimum you will create other compression problems where someone just being hired and lower in seniority gets moved up to someone who has been employed for a year or two.
Councilman Elliott asked what it would cost to move to 6%. Mr. Hendricks estimated 6% would cost around $300,000 in salaries alone. Mr. Repp added that approximately 80% of the City’s employees are between pay grades 5 and 9, with upper management being in ranges 14 and above. Mr. Hendricks said that is the area where they are trying to get the City to be competitive with the locally. He also noted his report represents the market as it currently exists which will undoubtedly be moving on July 1 when adjustments would be made.
Councilman Rephann asked about department variation when looking at salaries. Mr. Repp advised that would have been found prior to EMA and was due to union negotiations a when dollar increases were provided for a number of years vs. percentage increases resulting in employees at the lower end of the scale getting a percentage greater than someone above them.
Councilman Rephann if the City had made progress or lost ground over the last four years. Mr. Hendricks said the City probably stayed about the same. Councilman Rephann noted that one difference was that this study made comparison to
Mr. Hendricks again advised the City’s average employee is 12% behind the market level.
Mayor Fiedler asked Mr. Hendricks to provide them with information from the last report regarding where the City is compared to where they were four years ago.
Councilman Hendershot asked that with contract negotiations, if Mr. Repp had begun negotiating salaries. Mr. Repp stated that salaries would be negotiated in the spring and that he was waiting for the study.
III.
Chief Herbaugh gave a presentation showing the current condition of fire apparatus and the need for the purchase of a new fire engine due to the cost of needed repairs to Fire Engine #5 being approximately $30,000 with the engine being twenty years old and no longer meeting the current apparatus and safety standards. He also noted that Fire Engine #4, a 1987 engine, is in similar condition and will soon need replaced.
Chief Herbaugh recommended to Council the purchase of a new replacement engine at an approximate cost of $300,000 in order to maintain a dependable fleet of apparatus.
Mayor Fiedler asked about using bond funds. Mr. Repp said the last time an engine was purchased it was with bond funds and suggested the possibility of available funding in the most recent bond issue with the
In discussing the disposal and value of the old fire engine, Chief Herbaugh, advised that Mr. Herbert Broll, employee at ATK, approached him prior to the meeting about what the City would do with the engine saying they were in need of a fire engine. He added that typically the value would be between three and four thousand dollars.
Various funding sources were suggested and Mr. Repp recommended that if the fire engine was to be purchased that the Bond Issue be amended to include for funding for it.
Councilman Hendershot questioned looking at the possibility of a lease. Mr. Repp agree they could, but noted that a fire engine has a life span greater than the typical vehicle.
Chief Herbaugh stated in purchase equipment they have to be mindful of the size of the equipment and being able to get it into the station, noting the size and age of the South End Station. There was some discussion of a better facility and the need for renovation of the south end station. Chief Herbaugh advised they need to keep the South End Station, as they need at least three stations in order to maintain their current ISO rating.
IV. Workman’s Compensation Update – Kevin Hagerich, Director of Public Works
Mr. Hagerich presented an update for Council summarizing the on-going efforts to control workers compensation claims through risk management with the assistance of PMA (Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association) the City’s new worker’s compensation carrier. He reviewed activities during the last three months and advised the first quarter goals had been met. He advised that in the second quarter it was expected to begin a trend analysis, and continue monthly reviews of incidents/accidents, and draft policies for physical fitness testing, smoking and drug/alcohol policies.
Councilman Hendershot asked what Mr. Hagerich attributes the claims being lower in the last quarter. Mr. Hagerich responded that in his opinion when a new policy is adopted people pay more attention, they asked the supervisors to get more involved, and that for the first time they met with members of the union and exchanged concerns. He said they took note of the concerns of the union and worked towards addressing them. He also noted the turn over of instances is now one (1) day rather than days and weeks and employees have been asked to let the City take care of them before obtaining legal assistance.
Mr. Repp added that the other issue is that as of July 1 the City came under PMA; however, if someone was injured prior and have a reoccurrence of an injury they would still be under IWIF with them paying the bills, so as the City gets further away the potential is there making it necessary to really watch what we’re doing every quarter because any one bad quarter could haunt you for years to come.
Mr. Hagerich advised Council they invited the union presidents to their December meeting providing an update on the developing programs and addressing issues and concerns agreeing to meet quarterly.
Mr. Chuck Koelker, President Firefighters Union, stated they have seen involvement more from PMA than in all the years the city was with IWIF. He noted some injuries being due to outdated equipment and said they are addressing that which involves some cost, but will help to eliminate some long term injuries in the long run. He also noted the usefulness of physicals.
Mr. Hagerich added they are taking a different approach now where when they see a safety issue, they weight the cost vs. what they can do.
Councilman Hendershot asked if
V. Administration Function –
Mr. Repp requested to reconvene the Executive to discuss Real Estate matters. Councilman Elliott made a motion to go into Administrative Session. The motion was seconded by Councilman Hedrick and unanimously approved.
VI. Adjournment -
With no further business to be discussed the work session adjourned at 7:09 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon S. Clark
City Clerk