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ADHOC City Council & Park Board Minutes 2002 07-17-021 UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE CITY COUNCIL/PARK BOARD AD-HOC COMMITTEE MEETING WEDNESDAY,JULY 17,2002 6:00 P.M. IN ATTENDANCE: City Council: Park Board: Alderwoman Rose Spears Bill Wedge Alderman Paul James Lisa Scherer Major Art Prochaska Ken Koch Guests: Tony Graff;City Administrator(6:15) DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION POSITION The Committee discussed the hiring for the Director of Parks&Recreation. Lisa Scherer reported that the Park Board narrowed the resumes received for the position down to eleven applicants. Packets,including the salary range and benefit information,were sent to the eleven on July 16,2002 with a response date. An interview date will be established once the replies are received. PARKS DEPARTMENT Lisa Scherer asked how the Parks Department(currently under Public Works)should be presented to the new Director. Mayor Prochaska stated that there is a Parks Department but because there hasn't been a director,it currently falls under Public Works. Ms. Scherer wanted to know if the three Parks employees would report to the new Director of Parks&Recreation and not the Director of Public Works(Eric Dhuse). Mayor Prochaska stated that once the new director is hired, Parks would be split off of Public Works. Details such as shared equipment will have to be worked on between the new director and Mr. Dhuse. The sharing of equipment and employees was furthered discussed. Mayor Prochaska stated that the new director should be asked to make recommendations as to how the Parks Department is set up. Mr. Wedge asked if the Parks& Recreation budget would be increased if the Parks Department were shifted to them. Currently they are under the Public Works budget. Ms. Scherer asked if some employees would be split between the two departments and Mayor Prochaska stated that the lowest labor level is set up to shift to were they are needed the most. He stated that at budget time,the Parks Department might indicate that they need a certain amount of part-time hours as will the Parks Department. The budget will allow for the total number of hours needed for both departments. Ms Scherer asked whom the new director should recommend the new set up to. Mayor Prochaska commented that the first step should be for the director to bring the recommendation to the Park Board. The Park Board would then make a recommendation to the City Council. Ms. Scherer commented that this was a long process and Mayor Prochaska noted that until there is a Park District that is the procedure to be followed. Alderman James noted that the Park Board needed to look for an individual who can handle these issues. He also reminded them that the director should attend the Committee of the Whole and City Council meetings and they should discuss this with the applicants. Alderwoman Spears asked how the City Administrator fits into the future of the Parks Department. Currently,the Parks Department is under the Director of Public Works who reports to the City Administrator. If this were split,they would report to the Director of Parks& Recreation who does not report to the City Administrator. Mayor Prochaska stated that this is Pane 1 of 3 2 something that needs to be worked out. He stated that when the Recreation Department was set up years ago,it was not put into the City's organizational chart. It now should be brought in. He stated that all the staff works with the City Council who are the policy makers. Alderman James asked for clarification as to who the new director will report to. Ms. Scherer stated that it was her understanding that the director reports to the Park Board and the mayor. Mayor Prochaska stated that this should be clarified because the director doesn't need to report to several people. The reporting structure of the City was discussed and it was clarified that the only department heads not reporting to the City Administrator are the Chief of Police and the Superintendent of Recreation. The Committee discussed the new director reporting to the City Administrator. Mayor Prochaska stated that he felt that the new director should be on the same level as the Finance Director,Director of Public Works,etc. Ms. Scherer asked if Mr. Dhuse had a Board to go to if Public Works needed something. Mayor Prochaska and City Administrator Graff explained that Mr. Dhuse reports to the Public Works Committee(made up of Council members)for such things as creating new positions but his day- to day direction is taken from Mr. Graff. They also explained how bills are handled. Bills and expenditures of up to$1,000.00 need a department heads approval;from$1001.00 to$5,000.00 a Committee Chairman or the Mayor's approval; $5,001.00 requires a Request for Proposal(RFP) and anything over$10,000.00 state statute requires that bids have to be received. Mr. Wedge asked about the Superintendent of Parks position. Mayor Prochaska stated that he is asking the new director to develop the Parks department. INTERVIEWING DIRECTOR OF PARKS&RECREATION The interviewing process was discussed. Alderman James discussed the protocol for doing the interviews. Ms. Scherer stated that the Park Board is aware that interviews are done in an executive session. Mayor Prochaska stated that he sat in on the interviews for the Chief of Police but left the room when the candidates were discussed and he would like to sit in on these interviews also. The location,time frame and procedures for the interviews were discussed. Ms. Scherer described how the Park Board planned to use a ranking system for the interviewees and the committee discussed this. Ms. Scherer asked if the Park Board should make a presentation to the City Council when they decide on the candidate for the position of Director of Parks& Recreation. Mayor Prochaska stated that the Park Board should send their recommendation to him in a confidential memo. Ms. Scherer asked if the Park Board should give the interviewees an overview of Yorkville. Mr. Wedge stated that he preferred to ask the interviewees to give a small outline of what they think the City of Yorkville is and what they like about it. This question can determine if they researched the job and city. The Committee discussed interview questions: asking all the candidates the same questions in the same order. MINUTES FOR APPROVAL This was tabled until the next meeting. PARK BOARD MEETINGS Alderman James stated that the Superintendent of Recreation, Sue Swithin, asked if she still needed to attend the Park Board meetings. Mayor Prochaska stated that this was up to the Park Board to determine. Mayor Prochaska asked if the Park Board approves the list of programs the Recreation Director develops. Ms. Scherer stated no they do not. Mayor Prochaska stated that the old Park& Pan 2 of 3 3 Recreation Board would approve the list of programs. Mr. Wedge and Ms. Scherer stated that they were under the impression that they were ongoing programs. The number of enrollments are reported to the Park Board and they are advised of new programs being added such as Pilates and drawing classes but the Board does not approve the programs themselves. Mr. Wedge noted that Park Report and Recreation Report is listed on the Park Board agenda. The Recreation report lists what programs are being offered and they Board approves the report. Mr. Wedge commented that the Park Board has not received a Park Department report in several meetings and this is needed. Mr. Koch commented that he felt Ms. Swithin sees that Mr. Dhuse does not attend regularly and she probably feels why should she. Mayor Prochaska stated that this would be discussed with Mr. Dhuse. The Committee discussed the Park Board's planning meetings and determined that the Recreation Department did not need to be present for this. However,they felt the Parks Department should be available until the Director is hired. They felt that even with City Planner Mike Schoppe present,the Parks Department should be represented and available for input. SALARY SURVEY Alderman James gave a quick overview of the discussion of the salary survey at the Administration Committee meeting. He stated that city salaries were within the range of those surveyed but at the lower end of the range. Ms. Scherer asked for a copy of the survey and Alderwoman Spears stated that she would distribute the copies after the next Committee of the Whole meeting on August 6,2002. There was no further discussion. The Committee tentatively scheduled their next meeting for August 7,2002 at 6:00 P.M. The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 P.M. Minutes respectfully submitted by Jackie Milschewski,City Clerk Page 3 of 3