HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984/12/17 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study SessionMINUTES
COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
ST LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
December 17, 1984
1. Call to Order
The study session was called to order by Mayor Hanks at 6:00
p.m.
2. Roll Call
The following Council members were present at roll call: Ronald
Backes, Thomas Duffy, Jerrold Martin, Keith Meland, Larry Mitchell,
Richard Strohl, Lyle Hanks. Also present were the City Manager,
Assistant to the City Manager, the MIS Coordinator, the Director
of Planning and the Director of Public Works.
4. Legislative Issues
Senator McQuaid and Representatives Olsen and Segal were present
to discuss legislative issues with Council members.
The City Manager told the City Council and the legislators that
he had been approached by members of the Fire Department who
are interested in exploring a ten-year vesting for firefighters
under the Fire Relief Association pension. He explained that
the State Legislature had passed a law in 1980 creating the PERA
Police and Fire Pension Fund. This legislation encouraged cities
to place all new hires on the PERA police and fire plan by offering
funding to pay the unfunded liability of local pension funds.
At that time, the Police and Fire Departments were given the right to
increase benefits including establishment of ten-year vesting in their
local pension fund. The Police Department selected the 10 -year vesting
while the Fire Department increased their monthly benefit for pensioners.
The City Manager said that the proposal furthered by the Fire
Department should be given additional consideration. He indicated
that a ten-year vesting would cost the City $3,100 annually,
but the City would break even under this proposition if one fire-
fighter left under the local pension plan and was replaced by
a firefighter under the PERA police and fire plan. The City Manager
suggested that if there is interest in this bill, the City should
not be responsible for paying the entire increase in the annual
contribution resulting from a ten-year vesting.
The legislators asked that the City Council forward a resolution
to them if they would like to see legislative support for a bill
allowing a ten-year vesting in the St. Louis Park Fire Relief
Fund.
The Assistant to the City Manager discussed the importance of
restoring employee time/distance requirements. She said that
Council study session minutes
December 17, 1984
the legislature had deleted the
cities to set job-related time or
for City employees while trying
requirement for out -state cities.
the loss of this authority could make
returning to callback situations.
authority for metropolitan area
distance residency requirements
to establish the same kind of
The City Manager added that
it difficult to get firefighters
In response to the City's concerns about IDB allocations, Representa-
tive Olsen said that there definitely would be legislative involvement
in this area during the coming session because the present legisla-
tion expires in August 1985.
Councilman Backes advised Council and the legislators that a
Local Government Aid policy and formula are being developed by
the League of Minnesota Cities. He said that reports he has received
indicate that there is wide consensus from many cities for the
proposed policy and formula.
Several pension issues were discussed. Extending the Rule of
85 (75 for police) beyond the 1986 window was viewed as being
very expensive. Similarly, Rep. Olsen felt that any proposals
to include payment of health care costs for retirees from the
PERA fund would be viewed as too expensive.
State and county turnbacks, de -institutionalizing the requirements
for daycare and foster homes, and funding for regional channel
6 were also discussed. The legislators advised the City that
rule making is currently in progress on the matter of building
requirements for daycare and foster homes. Rep. Olsen also said
that the chances of dedicating sales tax for support of the regional
channel 6 were non-existent since there is no precedent for dedicating
sales tax.
The legislators asked that January 25, 1985 be considered as
the next date for a legislative meeting. It was requested that
minutes be kept of all meetings and that these minutes be distributed
to the legislators and Council members.
5. Complaint System
The City Manager said that a computerized complaint recording
system has been developed in response to Council's goal of establish-
ing a complaint resolution process.
The MIS Coordinator explained the program and asked Council
members what information they would like to see contained in
a summary report.
Councilman Backes said that he would like to see complaints
listed by ward. Councilman Duffy said that he is concerned about
knowing that complaints reported to staff by the Council have
been followed through.
6. Adjournment - The
study session adjorned at 7:25 p.m.
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