Council to consider proper staffing level for City of Belleville

The Belleville City Council gave a nod to Councilman Tom Fielder’s suggestion that it look at city staffing and decide just how many people should be working for the city.
Councilman Fielder said he asked that the item be put on the agenda of the Feb. 6 regular meeting because there is a new officer in the police department, a new employee at city hall, and one DPS worker will be leaving.
He said the council should decide how many employees are needed and what their job descriptions are. He asked the council to ask the city manager to develop a staffing plan and develop the appropriate staff level with job descriptions and possible cross-staffing.
“Ask her to brainstorm with her administration and come back with a recommendation,” Fielder said.
Mayor Kerreen Conley agreed that this work is most appropriate as part of the budget process.
“Possibly we don’t need three, but need two,” she said of employees at city hall.
She said they are pleased with Karen in the front office and a good police officer (Sarah Dzagulones) recently was hired, but no part-time officer yet.
“Rick is working on a shoestring right now, with one leaving soon,” said City Manager Diana Kollmeyer, referring to DPW Director Rick Rutherford whose department consists of him and two workers.
“That’s a part of her job, anyway,” Mayor Conley said, noting a lot goes into job descriptions.
Fielder suggested the report be shown to council members first and if a sub-committee is needed, it could be set up.
No vote was taken on the direction given to Kollmeyer because Mayor Conley said the city manager doesn’t need to be told to do her job.
In other business at its Feb. 6 meeting, the council:
• Approved Mayor Conley’s new appointments of James Shrove to the Board of Review, with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2019, and Jeff Vernon to Parks and Recreation, with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2020. The council also approved the mayor’s re-appointments of Reginald Dawson to the Board of Review, with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2019; Steve Jones and John Juriga to the Planning Commission, with terms to expire Dec. 31, 2019; and Denise Baker to the Downtown Development Authority, with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2020;
• Received the 2017 Strawberry Festival Policies from festival executive director Joan Bodnar and referred it to the administration for review. Bodnar said it is the same as last year, except for date changes;
• Designated DPS Director Rick Rutherford as Street Administrator for Act 51 funds;
• Briefly discussed the proposed Special Events Ordinance. Mayor Conley said it will be fine-tuned and come back one more time. Kollmeyer said once it is approved it will go into effect in January 2018;
• Took no action on the agenda item “Music Lakeside 2017 Dates and Request to Use Horizon Park” because no one was present with information on the event. Kollmeyer said Ken Voigt emailed her and asked to be put on the agenda, “and that’s the last I heard of it.” Mayor Conley said the procedure has been to have the material in hand before placing an item on the agenda. “We don’t like surprises,” she said;
• Approved $196,632.14 in accounts payable and the following purchases in excess of $500: to Blue Ribbon Contracting, $2,544 for catch basin repair from the General/Water fund; to Absolute Heating, $860 for repair of boiler at city hall, from General/Building Maintenance fund; to Osier & Sons Electric, $697.50 for repair of electric outlets, from General / Building Maintenance; and to Wise Technologies, $528.75 for computer support from General/various funds;
• Heard Fielder comment that there has been $1,500 more in repairs at city hall over the past few weeks. Fielder has repeatedly talked about selling city hall and said he doesn’t like putting money into an old building;
• Heard Mayor Conley ask when the DPS and Engineers’ Assessment on city street repairs would be ready for the council. Kollmeyer said it should be at the next meeting. She has been waiting for figures from the city’s Plante Moran employee. Mayor Conley said if the council can’t get the figures soon, it would put off things for this year;
• Heard Kollmeyer announce that budget amendments will be on the next meeting agenda and an audit presentation in the meeting after that;
• Heard Mayor Conley say the city has vacancies on several of its board and appreciates volunteers;
• Heard Kelly Bates ask about replacing the wrought iron fencing at Doane’s Landing. Kollmeyer said the seawall is pulling away from the bank at Doane’s Landing and the Veteran’s Monument also needs work. She said the city should have a recommendation on this work soon. Rutherford said maybe the seawall is below the 655’ level and it’s on Van Buren Township property. He said they are looking into a possible Department of Natural Resources grant;
• Heard Pastor Nathaniel Oregon, the new pastor of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church on South Edgemont Street, introduce himself and pass out free copies of a book, “Hero of Hacksaw Ridge,” to members of the council and the audience. He also asked them to fill out a survey because the church wants to plan community events and wants to make sure the events they plan are what would be welcomed; and
• Heard Mary Talaga thank the police department for filling in for her as a crossing guard at Edgemont Elementary School while she underwent heart surgery. She said Monday was her first day back at work and children in the lunch room, where she also works, gave her big hugs and welcomed her back.