Published: August 20, 2008 09:52 am      

IOC forwards policy updates

CLINTON — The Clinton City Internal Operations Committee voted Tuesday to forward several policy updates to the full council for consideration and possible approval.

First, the IOC approved a motion to recommend approval of a city purchasing policy update. City Treasurer Deb Neels said a change to the state policy occurred recently in the competitive bid process, raising the project cost threshold from $25,000 to $100,000. She said the new procedure incorporates a competitive quotation process for public improvements which does not require a public hearing on the project plans and specifications. Neels said the city’s policy had not been changed.

Neels said that currently, city departments can have informal quotations for projects less than $1,000 and are asked to process formal requisitions for projects from $1,000 to $10,000. She said that City Administrator Gary Boden signs off on projects more than $10,000 and at $25,000, projects must go through a formal bidding process. Boden said the new policy recognizes modern cost estimates for projects and said the recommendation to the council would be to amend the ordinance setting the city’s purchasing policy to reflect the state’s policy.

Then, the council addressed needed updates to the city phone system. Parks and Recreation Director Gregg Obren explained that he and Neels had been researching companies to help the city with the system and found two consulting firms that could evaluate the city’s phone system and assist staff in choosing a system and service provider based on needs. He asked for direction whether the whole system should be evaluated, or the process should begin with city hall and go forward from there. He said the company could help the city deal with service providers in an effort to get cost-effective hardware if needed and service. Obren said the first step would be to select one of the vendors, then determine a cost estimate for the assistance and have the system evaluation performed.

Neels said the consultation company also could help the city evaluate communications abilities as far as the city Web site or computer systems. At-Large Councilman and committee member Mark Vulich said an evaluation of the city phone system should be done first to upgrade the system, with integration of other communications systems to be done later. He added the city needs an overall plan for all systems. Boden suggested Obren and Neels be directed to solicit quotes from both consultation companies under consideration.

He added that the upgrade could consist of a small amount of funding now, but could result in a costly total upgrade that would have to be figured into the fiscal year 2009-10 city operating budget. The IOC approved a motion directing city staff to return at the next committee meeting in two weeks with estimates for the system evaluation from both companies.

Later in the agenda, the IOC approved a motion directing city staff to prepare a resolution authorizing a new mileage reimbursement policy which incorporates a car allowance for city employees and reimburses mileage for travel outside a 40-mile radius. Boden explained the policy could help the city reduce its vehicle fleet, thereby reducing maintenance, insurance and fuel costs, as well as paperwork. He remarked some employees who travel a great deal would still be allowed use of city vehicles and said the amount of the car allowance granted to employees would be based on usage and travel distance. Boden stated mileage reimbursement is non-taxable, while a vehicle allowance would be considered income and taxed.

The IOC forwarded a job description for the new assistant finance director position to the Aug. 26 Committee of the Whole agenda. Neels said the person would be responsible for a number of accounting duties and thanked newly hired Human Resources Director Dave Geisler for his assistance in preparing the job description.

Geisler said he compared national, state and local data to determine the appropriate salary range, advising the range to recruit an appropriate number of qualified candidates would be from $48,000 to $54,000. Boden noted the city had budgeted $48,000 for the position, but speculated the position requires a salary in the low to mid-$50,000.

The committee also agreed with a recommendation from Public Works Director Gary Schellhorn to designate one Water Pollution Control employee as a pre-treatment coordinator. Schellhorn said the designation strictly is one of title and duties, not personnel or pay rate.