2013-10-29 Council Workshop Garages StaffingCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP AGENDA
October 29, 2013 — 6:30 p.m.
Mendota Heights City Hall
1. Call to Order
2. Garage Code Amendment Discussion
3. Future Staffing of Engineering and Police Departments
m CITY OF
MENDOTA HEIGHTS
page 2
1101 Victoria Curve 1 Mendota Heights, MN 55118
651.452.1850 phone 1 651.452.8940 fax
www.mendota-heights.com
DATE: October 29, 2013
TO: Mayor, City Council and City Administrator
FROM: Nolan Wall, AICP
Planner
SUBJECT: Zoning Code Amendment Discussion — Private Garages
BACKGROUND
At the July 16th City Council workshop, code amendments regarding private garages were discussed.
Staff was directed to work with a committee of Council Members Povolny and Norton to draft potential
code amendments for continued discussion at an upcoming workshop. The committee is recommending
that the city council consider the following changes to the existing code language:
1. Garage door size
• As proposed in previous draft amendments, 36 lineal feet of garage door (equivalent to
four garage doors) would be permitted. More than 36 lineal feet would be permitted by
conditional use permit if it is not visible from a public street or surrounding residential
properties. Currently, code allows for a double wide and single wide door, or three single
wide doors.
2. Detached garage size
• As shown in the table below, the permitted and conditional detached garage sizes would
be determined by lot size:
*Total garage square footage shall not exceed 2,125 square feet or the finished square footage of the principal structure,
whichever is less
3. Multiple garages
• As shown in the table above, multiple garages are permitted by conditional use permit on
lots over .75 acres and may include an attached and detached garage.
BUDGET IMPACT
N/A
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss the potential Code amendments and provide staff direction on
how to proceed. If there is direction from the council, staff will bring a formal ordinance amendment to a
future council meeting for consideration.
DETACHED
ATTACHED
Proposed
Existing
Proposed Existing
75 acres or less
Permitted
750 S.F.
440 S.F.
750 S.F.
OR
(existing)
1,200 S.F.
1,500 S.F.
CUP
1,000 S.F.
75 —1.5 acres
Permitted
750 S.F.
AND*
(proposed)
CUP
1,000 S.F.
1.5 — 2.5 acres
Permitted
1,000 S.F.
CUP
1,200 S.F.
2.5 acres or more
Permitted
1,600 S.F.
CUP
1,900 S.F.
*Total garage square footage shall not exceed 2,125 square feet or the finished square footage of the principal structure,
whichever is less
3. Multiple garages
• As shown in the table above, multiple garages are permitted by conditional use permit on
lots over .75 acres and may include an attached and detached garage.
BUDGET IMPACT
N/A
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss the potential Code amendments and provide staff direction on
how to proceed. If there is direction from the council, staff will bring a formal ordinance amendment to a
future council meeting for consideration.
m CITY OF
MENDOTA HEIGHTS
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
October 29, 2013
Mayor, City Council, and City Administrator
John R. Mazzitello, PE, PMP, MBA
Public Works Director /City Engineer
Engineering Staffing
page 3
1101 Victoria Curve I Mendota Heights, MN 55118
651.452.1850 phone N 651.452.8940 fax
www.mendota-heights.com
HISTORY
The Engineering Department has been a division of the Public Works Department since 1981.
Engineering has had a variety of different staffing configurations and structures between then
and the present day. From 1981 to 1995, Engineering consisted of the Public Works Director,
one engineer, two engineering technicians, and a department secretary that is shared with the Fire
Department. Between then and now, there have been a variety of staffing levels and
combinations of positions. The Engineering Department is currently authorized for a Public
Works Director /City Engineer, Assistant City Engineer, Civil Engineer II, Senior Engineering
Technician, and an Administrative Assistant that is shared with the Fire Department for a total of
4.5 personnel. The Civil Engineer II position is currently vacant. The attached graphs show the
Engineering Staffing levels and positions through the years, as well as significant milestones that
have influenced the Engineering Department.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
In September of 2013, the junior staff engineer (Civil Engineer II) resigned to take a position
with the City of Brooklyn Center. This vacant position leaves a labor void in the Engineering
Department that needs to be addressed.
In addition to being the primary street and utility project designer (including feasibility reports,
preliminary plans, cost estimates, final plans and specifications), this junior staff engineer
position also performs the following functions:
• The City's Geographical Information System (GIS) coordinator
• Administers annual sanitary sewer maintenance and rehabilitation contracts
• Compiles and publishes the annual 5 -year infrastructure improvement plans (street,
sanitary sewer, trails, etc.)
• Maintains the infrastructure as -built records database.
• Conducts utility locates (Gopher State One - Calls)
• Administers construction contracts
• Develops and updates drafting and computer aided drafting (CAD) standards
• Assists the Public Works garage with engineering and field assistance as needed.
page 4
Another potential significant issue has to do with the City's Assistant City Engineer, Ryan
Ruzek, who is in the process of moving to Chicago. Ryan has not given the City any official
notice of his departure, but the potential exists that he will be leaving the City of Mendota
Heights within the next six months. This potential departure will leave an additional labor void
in the Engineering Department that will need to be addressed. Ryan has been with the City of
Mendota Heights for nearly ten years and has held the title of both Civil Engineer II and
Assistant City Engineer, while serving as the senior engineer within the department.
In addition to being the primary project and contract manager for City construction projects
(street, utility, facility, etc.), the senior staff engineer position:
• Has supervised the junior engineer, engineering technician, and facility manager
• Is the designated storm water engineer for the City
• Is primarily responsible for all storm water related projects (including water quality
sampling, monitoring, and reporting)
• Applies for and ensures compliance with State regulatory permitting including the
Municipal Separated Sanitary and Storm Sewer (MS4) permit
• Applies for Municipal State Aid (MSA) annual funding and project reimbursements
• Administers the annual street preventative maintenance (crack -seal & sealcoat) contracts
• Conducts minor contractual repairs to infrastructure systems
• Principal liaison between the City and utility companies /contractors.
OPTIONS
There are several options available to fill the labor void identified by the departure of the
Engineering Department's junior engineer. Some of these options are listed below with the
primary advantages and disadvantages of each.
Option 1 — Replace junior engineer with hired staff (Civil Engineer I)
Advantages: Fixed budgetary cost
Better control of work load and work product
Disadvantages: Less experienced, entry -level engineer (training period required)
Unknown requirements of future work load
Option 2 — Replace junior engineer with a term consultant (similar to existing planning
consultant contract)
Advantages: Only pay for work ordered
Smaller staff size
Disadvantages: Reduced control over work load, product, and schedule
Variable budgetary cost
Option 3 — Replace junior engineer with project consultant(s)
Advantages: Consultant limited to each specific project scope
Smaller staff size
Disadvantages: More administrative time required for each project RFP process
Variable budgetary cost
Similar options, advantages, and disadvantages exist for the replacement of the senior engineer
position. In the event that both positions become vacant, the options above (or a combination of
options) could be applied.
page 5
BUDGET IMPACT
The Engineering department is funded through a number of sources, including public
improvement projects and various fees /retainers charged to other departments and divisions. In
2013, the department's total budgeted revenues are $636,300. Of this, $103,000 comes from
general fund retainers that are budgeted in various departments' budgets to help offset the cost of
the engineering department. Engineering labor expenses are tracked each pay period and billed
to appropriate projects or department codes.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council discuss the different options for filling the labor void left from the
various engineering department departures and provide staff with direction on how to proceed.
Number of Engineering Employees
6
5 ••• • ••
•• ••••••••• ••••
4
3
2
1 ♦♦
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Employment Notes:
1984 City Engineer becomes permanent part -time (effective January 2, 1984).
1986 No City Engineer - Civil Engineer I hired
1987 Engineering Secretary shared with Fire Department
1995 No Civil Engineer I, but a Civil Engineer III and another Engineering Technician hired
1997 An Engineering Technician left and hired a Engineering I
2004 Public Works Director promoted to City Administrator and a City Engineer hired
2004 Civil Engineer III left and Civil Engineer II hired
2005 Civil Engineer I hired
2006 City Engineer Promoted to Public Works Director
2010 Operations & Project Coordinator retired and not replaced
2010 Civil Engineer II Promoted to Assistant City Engineer
2013 Civil Engineer I was promoted to Civil Engineer II and took another job
Engineering Milestones:
page 6
♦ # of Employees
1979 Public Works Director /Asst. Engineer hired
1981 Engineering made a city department
1981 Engineering Enterprise Fund Established
1983 Engineering Fund Financing Memo written
1992 Street Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Policy Established
2005 SWPPP/NPDES Requirements Implemented
2007 Sanitary Sewer Maintenance Policy Adopted
2010 Five Year Street Improvement Plan Approved
2011 Five Year Sanitary Sewer Improvement & Maintenance Plan
2012 Draft Five Year Trail Improvmeent & Maintenance Plan presented to Parks & Recreation Commission
Public Works Director /City Engineer
Public Works Director /City Administrator
City Engineer
Assistant City Engineer
Civil Engineer I
Cvil Engineer 11
Civil Engineer III
Engineering Aid 1
Engineering Aid 11
Engineering Aid III
Engineering Aid IV
Senior Engineering Technican
Engineering Technican
Engineering Technician
Operations & Project Manager
Engineering Secretary
Engineering /Fire Secretary
Total Staff:
page 7
Engineering Staff 1979 to 2013
(33 O N M V L) CO N- CO 0) O N M LC) CO N- CO 6) O N M V L c0 N- CO 0) O N M
1� CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO 0) 0) 0) 0) 0) O) 0) 0) 0) 0) O O O O O O O O O O
0) 0) 0) 0) 6) 0) 6) 0) 6) 0) 0) 0) 0) 0) 0) Cr, 0) 0) 0) 0) 0) O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
5 5 5 4.5 4.5 5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5
5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5
Public Works Department
L Public Works Director/
City Engineer
1
/
Public Works Supervisor
Public Works Department
J
1
Civil Engineer II
Senior Secretary
1
Facilities Manager
page 8
Code Enforcement
Officer /Building Official
10001'
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
CITY OF
MENDOTA HEIGHTS
BACKGROUND
October 29, 2013
Mayor, City Council and Administrator
Mike Aschenbrener & Tamara Schutta
Staffing discussion
page 9
1101 Victoria Curve I Mendota Heights, MN 55118
651.452.1850 phone N 651.452.8940 fax
www.mendota-heights.com
The Mendota Heights Police Department currently operates under the following structure:
Chief of Police, three sergeants, 14 police officers (11 assigned to patrol, two assigned to
investigations and one assigned to serve as the School Resource Officer), and two FTE in
support services. In addition, the department relies heavily on IT services (both employee and
contracted), the prosecutor's office (contracted), reserve officers (volunteer), chaplains
(volunteer) and a variety of other assistance through JPA's and individual contracts.
The basic structure of the police department has not changed since the early 1980's. The 1980's
saw a quick growth spurt in 1980 with the addition of the Lilydale and Mendota police service
contracts (three officers) followed by slow growth to a total of 17 sworn personnel as the
population of the city increased. The command structure has not changed since the early 1990's
with the exception of the addition of a police captain for slightly less than one year. The
department immediately reverted to its previous structure when the captain was promoted to
chief.
Since 2001 the department structure has remained the same with the addition of a 9/12 contract
officer to serve ISD 197. (Nine of the twelve months are paid by ISD 197).
In reviewing departments in the metropolitan area you find little consistency in structure, number
of officers or assignments. Our neighboring Dakota County Cities have positions from Deputy
Chief, Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants, Corporals and Emergency Managers (Support Services
Manager). The Sheriff's Department uses a rank structure of Chief Deputy, Commanders,
Captains, and Sergeants on the sworn side of the operation. The Fire Department uses the rank
structure of Chief, Assistant Chief, four Captains and a training officer.
Times have changed while the structure of the Mendota Heights Police Department has not. Due
to pending retirements in the department, there is a need to have a process in place to move
forward and meet both our staffing needs and the expectations of the public. The department is
in the midst of an internal examination of job expectations by the department and the public.
This process will culminate in December with a clearer picture of what a good police response
for our top 25 calls for service looks like. To achieve success in changing responses the way the
page 10
department does business will need to be adjusted to increase accountability to the new service
level expectations.
Supervisory staff has reviewed the basic impacts of change which includes impact(s) on the pay
matrix, job assignments, scheduling, the building, and our contract partners who pay percentages
of the total budget.
The desired impacts of making changes in the way the department runs would be to ensure more
accountability and better delivery of services. The division of responsibilities would ensure that
necessary work is done in a timely manner, compliance with all regulations (outside) occurs, and
staff is better developed to serve in roles of increasing responsibility.
The structures below are just a few of many options and would need careful review by senior
staff for clear definition of roles and responsibilities. The actual costs associated with any
changes would be determined and anticipated as long term commitments by the city.
Full Time Equivalent (FTE)
Current structure:
Police Chief
Sergeant
Police Officers
Support non -sworn
(1 FTE)
(3 FTE)
(14 FTE) Assigned to: Patrol 11, Investigations 2, SRO 1
(2 FTE)
Potential Structures (order does not reflect preferences):
Option A Police Chief
Sergeant
Police Officers
Community Service
Support non -sworn
Option B Police Chief
Captain
Sergeant
Police Officers
Support non -sworn
Option C Police Chief
Lieutenants
Sergeant
Police Officers
Community Service
Support non -sworn
(1 FTE)
(4 FTE) +$115,000
(14 FTE) Assigned to: Patrol
(1 FTE) +$32,000
(2 FTE)
(1 FTE)
(1 FTE) +123,000
(2 FTE) - $126,000
(14 FTE) Assigned to: Patrol
(2 FTE)
(1 FTE)
(2 FTE) +240,000
(3 FTE)
(13 FTE) Assigned to: Patrol
- 109,000
(1 FTE) +$32,000
(2 FTE)
11, Investigations 2, SRO 1
11, Investigations 2, SRO 1
10, Investigations 2, SRO 1
Again the above options are designed as high level overviews and would require more
examination before moving forward. The estimated dollar amounts include benefits.
page 11
Captain and Lieutenant positions are typically considered exempt employees and are not eligible
for overtime. A Captain would be someone with considerable police experience and would
focus on administration, supervision and coordination of a segment of the department. A
Lieutenant would have less experience and be working towards a greater knowledge in the
administration area by rotating assignment of tasks. Lieutenants would also have supervisory
responsibility as well as oversight of a segment of the department. A Community Service
Officer (CSO) would generally be a student working towards becoming a police officer while
attending school. A CSO is a non -sworn position that performs tasks as assigned including
things like parking enforcement and animal control.
BUDGET IMPACT
Depends on the path chosen, a more detailed plan can be provided as direction is received.
RECOMMENDATION
No formal action or recommendation is needed at this time. Staff would be interested, however,
in hearing thoughts from the city council so that we can bring back more detailed information
and proposals at a later date.
page 12
Mendota Heights Police Department
IT
Chief
Mike Aschenbrener
Contract
Services
Attorneys
Support
A shift Sergeant
Patrol
Patrol
Patrol
School
Resource
Officer
J
1
Support
Investigator
Investigator
Rotating
Support
.5 FTE
B shift Sergeant
1
B shift Sergeant
Patrol
Patrol
Patrol
Patrol
cu
Patrol
Patrol
Patrol