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Minutes of Grand Forks City Council/Committee of the Whole
Monday, January 14, 2008 - 5:30 p.m.___________________

The City Council met as the Committee of the Whole on Monday, January 14, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers in City Hall with Mayor Brown presiding. Present at roll call were Council Members Brooks, McNamara, Glassheim, Gershman, Christensen, Bakken, Kreun (teleconference) - 7; absent: none.

Mayor Brown commented on events during the past week and upcoming events:
He reported that today they kicked off the community partnership to curb underage drinking, It's Not Okay; that this is an awareness campaign aimed at our culture and changing it for the better, that there are several townhall meetings scheduled and other meetings planned, public service announcements and other material to help spread the word that underage drinking is not okay. This is a community partnership and need community-wide partnership and thanks to Mr. Gershman for being a speaker today at the press conference and welcomed all the partners: law enforcement, United Way, UND, Dakota Sales, the McKinnon Company, Hospitality Industry, Grand Forks Schools and many more.
He thanked Senator Dorgan for being here last week, good to hear directly from him how the budget and his work are working with our goals for the community.
Yesterday he was at Ashley Ann Young - Miss North Dakota 2008 - send-off as she heads to the Miss America Contest in Las Vegas to represent us, that she is amazing woman with incredible talent.
He encouraged everyone to attend the Marketplace for Entrepreneurs this week and proud to be the host city. The sessions on Wednesday are fantastic showcases for North Dakota, our people and our spirit. Senator Conrad and Ag. Comm. Johnson did a great job with this Marketplace and should all show support.

SUSPEND AGENDA

Council Member Gershman moved to suspend the agenda to move item 2.8 - Matter of proposed settlement of pending litigation - just prior to adjournment as the committee may go into executive session. Council Member Christensen seconded the motion. Carried 7 votes affirmative.

2.1 Full-time mayor - discussion.
Council Member Christensen stated that after this matter was brought up, it
should be prudent to address the issue; that he asked Mr. Schmisek's staff to put together a list of our salaries and benefits along with listing of salary structures for the cities of Fargo, Bismarck and Minot. He stated he found that our pay schedule for the mayor is well within the range of what is being paid in the state; salary and benefits for Fargo is $27,200/year plus 50% of health premiums, Bismarck $18,000/year with no benefits, and in Grand Forks, by resolution, we have $24,000. Commissioners in Fargo and Bismarck seem to be a little better paid than city council persons in Grand Forks but seem to have a co-measured salary as those in Minot with exception that there are 14 council members in Minot. He noted that all those cities each have a city administrator and the salary that we pay our administrator is comparable to that which is paid in the other cities, and that there is an assistant city administrator in Bismarck. He stated he didn't think it was an issue to consider other than receive and file report.

Council Member Bakken stated things seem to be working fine and to leave it alone for now.

Council Member Gershman stated that managing a business is very different than managing a city, is a professional job, that in North Dakota we have a spirit of service, not doing it for the money but for service and that there is a lot of collegiality even if disagree and lot of cooperation with the mayor's office and staff.; and agreed with council members to receive and file.

Council Member Brooks stated that when citizen comes before council and brings up topic, that is our job to acknowledge and put it on for discussion. He stated in terms of fulltime mayor with a salary of $70-80,000 for that position, the citizens would expect that person to be running the city - min. qualifications for mayor have to be U.S. citizen and 30 days in your ward - but when hiring somebody have min. qualifications for a job that takes a lot of expertise, experience and leadership, etc. and that is where you put yourself if look at that fulltime. He stated what we have now is a good operation, that we set policy and let the mayor and staff run things. The other issue that isn't addressed here in terms of city council (salary) but not up here for discussion.

Council Member McNamara asked that for communities that go to a fulltime mayor, at what point does a community accrue a benefit that would cause the mayor to be fulltime - 200,000 pop.; but our system appears to be working. He stated in terms of salary that when you have salaries that are artificially low, whether mayor or council, you restrict who can participate - that should be paid to make it so that it is accessible to most in the community and have the broadest possible participation and these seats would be representative of our community.

Council Member Kreun stated he thinks our system is working quite well and would want to stay with that but that it is not our responsibility to determine the structure and how the mayoral branch is run - that system works well and to receive and file.

Mayor Brown stated that it seems every four years this concept is considered and thinks that the mayor is an elected official to provide leadership but that the professional staff provides the management that allows seamless transition between administrations; that we have a good system and it is working well.

2.2 Applications for exemption of remodeling improvements to various residential buildings._______________________________________
Council Member Gershman asked how the program is monitored (improvements). Mel
Carsen, city assessor, reported that it is based on the value increase and that they may have spent x dollars but may not increase value to that amount, that they make an appraisal after the project is completed.

2.3 Matter of pledged collateral report and designate depositories of public funds._______________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.4 Amendment No. 1 to engineering services agreement with Widseth, Smith, Nolting for Project No. 6131, 2007 Concrete Panel Replacement Project
There were no comments.

2.5 Bids for police vehicles.
There were no comments.

2.6 Bids for 4-wheel drive compact utility tractor for police department.
There were no comments.

2.7 Lincoln Drive Park lease agreement between City of Grand Forks and Grand Forks Park District._____________________________________
This is a one year lease; no other discussion.

INFORMATION ITEMS

3.1 Portfolio Management/Summary for period ending December 31, 2007.
Informational item.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS

1) Council Member Brooks suggested that the City will have to look at salaries for council members, that is and has been low and if want to get good people to run for council, and that it will have to start at the citizen level.

2) Council Member Kreun stated that the dog park is a one year lease but that are working at extending that lease.

RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION

2.8 Matter of proposed settlement of pending litigation.
(City Council may convene in executive session for attorney/client
consultation pursuant to NDCC Sections 44-04-19.1 and 44-04-19.2)
It was moved by Council Member Gershman and seconded by Council Member Brooks to go into executive session pursuant to NDCC 44-04-19.1 and 44-04-19.2 to discuss pending litigation proposal. Carried 7 votes affirmative. (Time going into executive session was 6:00 p.m.)

COMMITTEE RECONVENES FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE
SESSION

The committee of the whole reconvened after executive session at 6:29 p.m. with all members present.

ADJOURN

It was moved by Council Member Brooks and seconded by Council Member Christensen that we adjourn. Carried 7 votes affirmative.

Respectfully submitted,



John M. Schmisek
City Auditor