MONROE - A resolution to get a new executive director/human resource manager position created was halted before the motion to pass it even got a second, at the Monroe Common Council meeting Tuesday.
Alderman Keith Ingwell interrupted the Council meeting to explain that his motion during a Salary & Personnel Committee meeting about 90 minutes earlier was to have the entire discussion about the position, including the job description, moved to the Council as a whole in a special open meeting.
Mark Coplien made the motion on the resolution, which included approving a job description "as agreed upon by the Salary & Personnel Committee" and set a salary range of $50,000 to $60,000 annually. It also instructed the city clerk to begin recruitment and advertising to fill the position.
"I asked that this discussion be sent to the Council as a whole, not (to) approve something here," Ingwell said.
A reading of the committee meeting minutes verified Ingwell's motion, which was seconded by Kent Kallembach.
Ingwell said he wanted all Council members to participate in the process of defining the duties, "like when we hired the first administrator," he added.
"Basically, you did this alone." Ingwell told Alderman Mark Coplien, Chairman of the Salary & Personnel Committee.
"This is not a one man show," Coplien replied. "This has been a group effort, from Finance and Taxation (Committee) all the way through."
Coplien said he had used the original administrator's job description "out of respect for the Council" that was developed for the position in 2005.
Coplien also referred to a letter, dated July 20, 2009, from the department heads, which expressed their feelings - should the Council move forward - for "a full administrator with previous municipal government experience" and a "competitive salary...comparable to other similar cities."
Department heads had told Council, May 19 that, because of the tight budget constraints, they would be willing to continue work under the present vacancy of the city administrator position.
Alderman Charles Koch made a second motion to delay the vote on the resolution, "until we can set up a special meeting on this and get everything ironed out" A time and date of 6 p.m. July 27, was amended to the motion. The motion passed on a narrow 5-4 margin.
Aldermen Neal Hunter, Paul Hannes, Jan Lefevre and Thurston Hanson voted against the motion.
Alderman Hanson voted against the job creation in Committee, saying the city did not have the money at this time, and that the city was functioning well.
Alderman Paul Hannes voted against the motion to move the discussion to the Council as a whole.
"I think the job description is wrong," he said. "What this city needs is a full administrator and nothing but a full administrator."
A full administrator would add about $20,000 more to the position, he said, but hoped the city would not have to cut another position to meet the added cost. The $15,000 currently paid to Monroe Chamber of Commerce for economic development could be used, because the Green County Development Corporation was doing the same work, he added.
"It's a waste of taxpayers' money," he said.
Having the Mayor do the work of the administrator is "not fair or appropriate course of action in my opinion," Coplien told the Times after the meeting.
Coplien said he was surprised at the reaction to the resolution. "I did not see that coming," he added.
"Really, it's the people who want this delay who wrote the description five years ago. Did they make a mistake?" he said.
"What more can I do" he said. "Let it fall on the Council as a whole. The department heads can't do any more than they are," he said.
Salary & Personnel Committee members told Coplien at a meeting July 7 to write up a job description for an human resources person with added responsibilities. At that meeting, Coplien told committee members that the city had an accountant and safety person whose duties did not need to be duplicated by a full administrator. He also added that his conversations with department heads indicated the city needed an HR person most.
Coplien revised the job description, dispersed to committee members late last week, to replace the name of the job position, and to change the educational requirement from a Bachelor's degree in public Administration to intergovernmental management and/or human resources or related field, experience in management or HR, or any combination of education and experience.
Also removed was ability to oversee engineering operations, and knowledge of sewer and water utilities; and the "ability to read, understand and calculate engineering data."
In a letter to Council members, July 13, Mayor Ron Marsh indicated that the individual needed to fill the new position did not need to have "a Master's degree in economics" or be a CPA. Rather the person needed to be able to "determine on the spot" what the city needed for economic development, to read a balance and income statement, put together a city budget, determine the city debt load and investment program, as well as other skills.
For Human Resource skills, Marsh said the individual need to know "basic information" regarding leave, compensation, ADA and Privacy Act and other information, and know where to find additional information.
Marsh described leadership skills as "personable, easy to talk to, a father like figure, common sense approach to problems with a can do attitude."
He also wrote "You may want to know how they would prioritize the following: Job, God, County, Family, Themselves."
Alderman Keith Ingwell interrupted the Council meeting to explain that his motion during a Salary & Personnel Committee meeting about 90 minutes earlier was to have the entire discussion about the position, including the job description, moved to the Council as a whole in a special open meeting.
Mark Coplien made the motion on the resolution, which included approving a job description "as agreed upon by the Salary & Personnel Committee" and set a salary range of $50,000 to $60,000 annually. It also instructed the city clerk to begin recruitment and advertising to fill the position.
"I asked that this discussion be sent to the Council as a whole, not (to) approve something here," Ingwell said.
A reading of the committee meeting minutes verified Ingwell's motion, which was seconded by Kent Kallembach.
Ingwell said he wanted all Council members to participate in the process of defining the duties, "like when we hired the first administrator," he added.
"Basically, you did this alone." Ingwell told Alderman Mark Coplien, Chairman of the Salary & Personnel Committee.
"This is not a one man show," Coplien replied. "This has been a group effort, from Finance and Taxation (Committee) all the way through."
Coplien said he had used the original administrator's job description "out of respect for the Council" that was developed for the position in 2005.
Coplien also referred to a letter, dated July 20, 2009, from the department heads, which expressed their feelings - should the Council move forward - for "a full administrator with previous municipal government experience" and a "competitive salary...comparable to other similar cities."
Department heads had told Council, May 19 that, because of the tight budget constraints, they would be willing to continue work under the present vacancy of the city administrator position.
Alderman Charles Koch made a second motion to delay the vote on the resolution, "until we can set up a special meeting on this and get everything ironed out" A time and date of 6 p.m. July 27, was amended to the motion. The motion passed on a narrow 5-4 margin.
Aldermen Neal Hunter, Paul Hannes, Jan Lefevre and Thurston Hanson voted against the motion.
Alderman Hanson voted against the job creation in Committee, saying the city did not have the money at this time, and that the city was functioning well.
Alderman Paul Hannes voted against the motion to move the discussion to the Council as a whole.
"I think the job description is wrong," he said. "What this city needs is a full administrator and nothing but a full administrator."
A full administrator would add about $20,000 more to the position, he said, but hoped the city would not have to cut another position to meet the added cost. The $15,000 currently paid to Monroe Chamber of Commerce for economic development could be used, because the Green County Development Corporation was doing the same work, he added.
"It's a waste of taxpayers' money," he said.
Having the Mayor do the work of the administrator is "not fair or appropriate course of action in my opinion," Coplien told the Times after the meeting.
Coplien said he was surprised at the reaction to the resolution. "I did not see that coming," he added.
"Really, it's the people who want this delay who wrote the description five years ago. Did they make a mistake?" he said.
"What more can I do" he said. "Let it fall on the Council as a whole. The department heads can't do any more than they are," he said.
Salary & Personnel Committee members told Coplien at a meeting July 7 to write up a job description for an human resources person with added responsibilities. At that meeting, Coplien told committee members that the city had an accountant and safety person whose duties did not need to be duplicated by a full administrator. He also added that his conversations with department heads indicated the city needed an HR person most.
Coplien revised the job description, dispersed to committee members late last week, to replace the name of the job position, and to change the educational requirement from a Bachelor's degree in public Administration to intergovernmental management and/or human resources or related field, experience in management or HR, or any combination of education and experience.
Also removed was ability to oversee engineering operations, and knowledge of sewer and water utilities; and the "ability to read, understand and calculate engineering data."
In a letter to Council members, July 13, Mayor Ron Marsh indicated that the individual needed to fill the new position did not need to have "a Master's degree in economics" or be a CPA. Rather the person needed to be able to "determine on the spot" what the city needed for economic development, to read a balance and income statement, put together a city budget, determine the city debt load and investment program, as well as other skills.
For Human Resource skills, Marsh said the individual need to know "basic information" regarding leave, compensation, ADA and Privacy Act and other information, and know where to find additional information.
Marsh described leadership skills as "personable, easy to talk to, a father like figure, common sense approach to problems with a can do attitude."
He also wrote "You may want to know how they would prioritize the following: Job, God, County, Family, Themselves."