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Village of Fall Creek Finance & Personnel Committee Meeting Minutes 12/18/19 Page 1 of 2 1. Call to Order: 6:30 p.m., Village Hall Meeting Room, 122 E. Lincoln Ave., Fall Creek 2. Roll Call: Members Present: Chairman Chester Goodman, Joyce Aldrich, Tim Raap, Dane Zook. Members Absent: None. Staff Present: Clerk-Treasurer Renee Roemhild. 3. Certify Open Meeting Law Requirements Have Been Met: A notice of the meeting and an agenda was posted in the three public places & newspapers were notified. 4. Adopt Agenda: ▪ MOTION (Zook/Raap) to adopt the agenda as printed. PASSED, without negative vote. 5. Consider Process for Filling Upcoming Employee Vacancy-Job Description, Advertising, Temporary Help During Interim Period: Discussion took place regarding getting part-time temporary help as needed, especially for snow plowing. ▪ MOTION (Raap/Zook) to recommend the Board hire part time help, especially for snow plowing. PASSED, without negative vote. Sample job descriptions for both Public Works Director and Administrator were handed out. President Goodman stated the thing he hears most from the department heads is feeling there is a lack of communication between themselves, as well as with the Village Board. Goodman stated an option to cover that gap may be having a person that could fulfill some Administrator duties. As his job is getting busier, Goodman stated it is harder for him to respond to employee questions during the workday. A partial Administrator could become a source for employees to have day-to-day contact, as well as fulfill other duties that could be beneficial to move the Village forward: capital planning, economic development, financial strategies. Another thing to consider is that Clerk-Treasurer Roemhild will be retiring at some point in the future; hiring someone now that could observe the yearly cycle of duties before she is gone may be beneficial. If the committee wishes to pursue this option, a decision would need to be made as to the proportion the duties would be split between PWD and Administrator. Perhaps, as the years go by, the position may work itself into a full-time Administrator role, but for now, this may be a way to better fill current needs. Trustee Raap spoke in favor of the idea of the administrator role, feeling it would be a clear supporting structure for the employees and good to have someone making more contacts and connections with realtors, helping with economic development, etc. Trustee Zook felt an administrator is needed in communities our size because otherwise many tasks are outsourced, paying more for lawyers, engineers, financial advisors, etc. Hiring a degreed person to fill some of those tasks would result in savings in contracted services, that could be used instead to pay wages for the in-house personnel. Discussion took place that it may not be easy to find a person that could fill both roles, but it is possible that type of person would be out there. Certain aspects of an Administrator role, such as capital planning, could lend itself very well to a person with PWD knowledge because they know better than anyone else the water and sewer capabilities, road needs, etc. Because of the needs currently facing the Village, it may be beneficial to try to see if this type of combination could work. The concern over the time crunch was discussed, as PWD Bryan Kaatz will be leaving before this position will be able to be filled. Goodman reported on discussions with the remaining Village of Fall Creek Minutes of Finance & Personnel Committee Meeting December 18, 2019 Village of Fall Creek Finance & Personnel Committee Meeting Minutes 12/18/19 Page 2 of 2 members of the public works crew regarding their long-term goals. One member was interested if the role was solely a PWD. Places to advertise were discussed. Possible salary ranges were discussed. ▪ MOTION (Zook/Raap) to accept trying the combined position of a Public Works Director/Administrator, directing a combined job description as discussed be formalized. PASSED, without negative vote. 6. Adjourn: ▪ MOTION (Zook/Aldrich) @ 7:17 p.m. PASSED, without negative vote. Renee Roemhild, Clerk-Treasurer