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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-06-23 Council Work Session MinutesCITY OF CORCORAN City Council Work Session Minutes J u ne 231 2022 -- 5:30 pm The Corcoran City Council met on June 23, 2022, in Corcoran, Minnesota. The City C meeting was held in person and the public was present in person and remotely through the audio and video conferencing platform Zoom, ouncil work session electronic means using Mayor McKee, Councilor Bottema, and Councilor Nichols were present. Councilor Schultz and Councilor Vehrenkamp were excused. City Administrator Beise, Public Works Director Mattson, and Director of Public Safety Gottschalk were present. 1. Call to Order/Roll Call Mayor McKee called the work session to order at 5:30 pm. 2. Police Officer Recruitment and Retention Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted the police officer recruitment and retention is a separate but related conversation to overall police officer compensation and incentives discussed are specific to police officers. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted some of the incentives do not have wellness initiatives, and some are incentives other police departments offer. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk reviewed possible impacts and effects that may occur depending on Council consensus. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk outlined the current shortage of good employees within law enforcement and noted the first goal would be retention of the current staff with the police department and focusing on being the best, small -city workplace as Corcoran will not likely be the highest paid wages city. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk reviewed a recent correspondence sent to Corcoran police officers to suggest recruitment and retention ideas. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk reviewed the correspondence indicated a paid sabbatical that supports police officer mental health aspects and noted the City of Painesville currently has a sabbatical program. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted the City's mental health care provider regarded sabbaticals as an option police agencies should consider for officer wellness. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted mental injuries of officers and the necessity to focus on mental health support. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted the sabbatical program would cycle every 4 years, for approximately 30 Jays for police officers, noted it takes approximately 8 days for a person to reach an initial peak recovery period to de -stress. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted the next item within the correspondence was vacation reimbursement. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted vacation reimbursement would encourage officers to enjoy recreation during their time off, rather than taking the time off to work a second job. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted it would be structured as a reimbursement for travel or recreation expenses, to support mental wellness and encourage officers to connect with family members. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk added the officer could determine whatever family trip they chose, but would submit for approvable, reimbursable vacation expenses and included an example of $1,000 per year, and carried over for up to three years, and could be used in conjunction if there was consideration for the sabbatical and the vacation reimbursement. Council noted it would make sense to vary the amount based on seniority or tenure, or rank within the force to incentivize officers. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted the option as a possibility as long as there was not a wage equity issue related to age. City Administrator Beise added additional review would be necessary and noted generally equity is based on base pay but noted a need to verify impacts. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted the vacation reimbursement would be tied to a requirement that the officer is accomplishing what the goal is for a recreation aspect and could include a step process similar to the wage scale or something similar. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk reviewed the additional retirement health insurance premium contribution for retired police officers and noted the City used to pay 50 percent of the premium for retired police officers with 15 years of service, but noted the provision was negotiated out of the contract. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted frequently with law enforcement, officers retire early, as after age 55 there are 1 more injuries, and the health insurance contribution benefit would be an incentive for police officers. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted the retention incentive could be structured not as an accrued entitlement, but upon years of service. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted an example of $300 per month, or $3600 a year, an officer with five years of service would have $18,000 banked. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted many police departments are offering hiring bonuses of $5000 to $10,000, and noted the health insurance contribution benefit incentive somewhat negates the one-time hiring bonus elsewhere. Council and staff discussed the situation where an officer would leave before retirement age and therefore would lose eligibility for the benefit. Council and staff discussed the importance of how the benefit is structured and noted accrued benefit versus a one-time payout of benefit upon retirement. Council and staff discussed retaining police officers, how the incentives would apply if there was a termination of employment, separation of employment, and the necessity for legal review to for see such circumstances. Council and staff discussed identifiable need such as healthcare, and the structure of the benefit would be employee accrual upon retirement, with the accrual going into a Health Savings Bank or post -retirement health insurance, not an HSA fund. City Administrator Beise noted if Council wishes to pursue this direction, staff would need to make sure it meets public purpose and is technically and structurally sound. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted many agencies are offering health club memberships, personal development lessons, or anything that would support police officer health and wellness. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk reviewed additional career opportunities within the police department and noted the costs and benefits to the City in implementing investigative services, or street crimes, which translates into additional staff opportunity as an incentive, but also benefits the community with those services. Council noted incentives and how they may apply to admin and Public Works staff. City Administrator Beise noted incentive items could be applied across all staff, and noted separate options are being reviewed for Public Works and administrative staff. Council and staff discussed other potential incentive options for police officers such as assigned take home squad cars for work use only, the costs associated with the incentive, and the parameters of a squad car program. Council and staff discussed education financial incentives, reimbursement for trainings or degrees relevant to the current employee's role, and what an education incentive might look like for an employee as a percentage of the employee's base wage. Council and staff discussed compensated community service and benefits of the incentive to both staff and the community. Council and staff discussed hiring and referral bonuses noting it broadens the scope of candidates in the process. Council and staff discussed family training and support incentive options, EAP services, and broadening the contracted mental health support services to family and not staff only. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk noted general numbers for the sabbatical include 30 days every four years, equating to an employee accruing 7.5 days per year, with an annual cost to for the whole department of just over $30,000 accrual per year, with the sabbaticals scheduled out. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk reviewed general numbers for the vacation reimbursement would cost $1,000 per year per police officer, so approximately $12,000 per year cost for vacation reimbursement. Director of Public Safety Gottschalk reviewed the insurance contributions equates to $300/mo, $3600 per officer at 12 full- time officers with a total cost $43,000 per year. Council and staff discussed availability of non -qualified plans, administering retirement health care plans, funding a city liability, and one-time payout upon retirement regarding health insurance benefits. Council discussed retrieving feedback from officers in the form of a survey. Council and staff discussed format and scoring of the survey. Council initiated creation of a Council sub -committee to review survey options. 3. Unscheduled Items No unscheduled business was heard. 4. Adjournment MOTION: made by Nichols, seconded by Bottema to adjourn. Voting Aye: McKee, Bottema, and Nichols (Motion carried 3:0) Meeting adjourned at 6:32 pm. Michel Friedrich —Deputy Clerk