06/16/1992 - City Council Special 4
A
AGENDA
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday
June 16, 1992
5:00 p.m.
I. ROLL CALL
II. REVIEW VACATION SCHEDULE FOR NON-COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
EMPLOYEES
III. REVIEW REORGANIZATION OF CERTAIN SECRETARIAL POSITIONS TO
TRUE SUPERVISORS
IV. HEALTH INSURANCE UPDATE
V. REVIEW OF CITY OF EAGAN COMPENSATION RANGE/STEP PLAN
VI. OTHER PERSONNEL ITEMS
VII. ADJOURNMENT
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MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
FROM: CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES
DATE: JUNE 11, 1992
SUBJECT: SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
At the June 2, 1992 City Council meeting, a Special City Council
meeting/workshop was scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16.
Attached is a copy of the agenda which lists several personnel
items for consideration and direction by the City Council. It is
anticipated that Mayor Egan will convene the meeting at 5: 00 p.m. ,
discuss these items and suspend the workshop session at
approximately 6: 15 p.m. to proceed with the regular meeting. Once
the regular meeting has ended and following a proper break, the
workshop session will resume for purposes of completing the
workshop agenda.
City Administrator
Attachment
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MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
FROM: CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES
DATE: JUNE 12, 1992
SUBJECT: PERSONNEL ITEMS FOR COUNCIL WORKSHOP JUNE 16, 1992
The following are personnel items which could be discussed at the
City Council workshop on June 16, 1992 :
Item 1. Review Vacation Schedule for Non-Collective Bargaining
Employees -- In bargaining for contracts for the 1992 calendar
year, a change in the vacation schedule was agreed to for the three
groups who were bargaining this year, the Police, the Sergeants and
the Dispatchers. Prior to this time, all groups at the City of
Eagan had been on the same schedule. The change in the way
vacation was accrued was as follows:
Old Schedule New Schedule
Employment Hours Employment Hours
Year Per Year Year Per Year
1 80 1 80
2 80 2 80
3 80 3 80
4 80 4 80
5 120 5 120
6 120 6 120
7 120 7 120
8 120 8 120
9 120 9 120
10 120 10 120
11 120 11 128
12 120 12 136
13 120 13 144
14 128 14 152
15 136 15 160
16 144
17 152
18 160
As you can see, the year at which employees in the three bargaining
groups previously mentioned began earning an additional 8 hours of
vacation was moved up by three years. The "Old Schedule" is the
schedule currently in effect for non-collective bargaining
employees and the two groups which did not bargain this year,
Clerical and Maintenance.
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The Council may recall that when this item was being discussed for
the bargaining groups, the Stanton Survey data regarding vacation
schedules in other Group Five cities was studied. It was
discovered that no other City required 18 years of service before
four weeks of vacation was earned. Most of them were at 15 years
or less. For instance, in Apple Valley, employees receive the four
weeks of vacation after ten years of service.
The Council should discuss at this time whether the vacation
schedule for non-collective bargaining employees should be changed
to conform with that recently agreed to for the Police, Sergeants
and Dispatcher bargaining group . Any adjustment could be
effective with the first possible paycheck following the Council 's
formal action on the item. There would be no retroactivity;
merely, employees with eleven years or more of service would begin
accruing vacation according to the new schedule.
Item two. Review Reorganization of Certain Secretarial Positions
to True Supervisors -- The City Administrator, Assistant to the
City Administrator/Personnel Director and Department Heads have
been studying the possibility of reorganizing the duties of some of
the secretaries at the City of Eagan to include supervision of the
clerical staff members in their departments/divisions. The
secretarial positions which have been looked at for reorganization
purposes include those in Central Services Maintenance, Public
Works/Engineering, Parks & Recreation and Community Development.
(The Police Department already has a clerical supervisor position
and the Administrative Secretary is the supervisor of the clerical
staff in administration. )
There were a number of points which were considered in each of the
above departments when making the decision regarding adding
supervisor status to the secretary position. Specifically:
1. Would the department function more effectively with the
secretary as supervisor of the other clerical workers?
2 . Is the present secretary capable of being an effective
supervisor?
3 . To be a true supervisor under state law, a position must have
a majority of the following qualifications:
a. In the case of the City significant weight given to
recommendations regarding hiring, firing, and suspension
without pay;
b. Authority to discipline including oral warnings, written
warnings, and suspension with pay;
c. Administering performance appraisals;
d. Scheduling hours of work and leave time;
e. Determining individual training needs;
f. Determining policies and procedures regarding who does
what work and giving the work directions.
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4 . There are differences between the current status of the
secretaries and what that status would become if the secretary
was assigned supervisory duties:
a. The secretaries would be working supervisors and would
still perform basically the same duties they do now as
regards to typing, computers, phone duties, filing, etc.
b. The TSP ranges for the secretary positions would not
change with the addition of the supervisory tasks. We
found this out in the reorganization of. the Clerical
Supervisor position in the Police Department. Since the
secretaries are already giving work direction, the amount
of time spent in other supervisory duties would not
significantly increase the position's point values.
Therefore, the compensation levels would not change.
c. The position would not be covered by the union.
(1) Union members received a 4% increase January 1,
1992 and non-collective bargaining employees a
2 . 75% increase. If a secretary becomes a
supervisor, her hourly rate would decrease
slightly.
(2) However, the secretaries would no longer have to
pay union dues, so their actual gross would
increase very slightly.
(3) If a secretary has family health coverage, the
City's monthly contribution would increase from
$262 . 76 to $274 . 58.
(4) There is no 8 hour use of sick leave for emergency
purposes for non-union members.
d. The secretaries would no longer have seniority privileges
over collective bargaining members. In fact, since they
will be scheduling leave time, they should consider the
wishes of those persons supervised over their own
whenever possible for morale' s sake.
e. The secretaries would still be hourly employees and would
be eligible for overtime.
The department heads analyzed the above points as they related to
the secretary positions in their departments. A meeting was held
with the secretaries involved to gain their views on the
appropriateness and effectiveness of adding supervisory duties to
their positions. In all cases, it was decided that the departments
would operate more efficiently if the secretaries were the
supervisors of the clerical staff. The secretaries, themselves,
were asked if they wished to have their jobs reorganized to include
supervisory duties, understanding all the ramifications of that as
listed above. They agreed.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Administrator and
the department heads involved that the positions of secretary in
Central Services Maintenance, Public Works/Engineering, Parks &
Recreation and Community Development be reorganized to include the
supervisory duties as listed above.
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Assistant to the City Administrator Duffy has notified the clerical
union's business agent that this item is under consideration. If
it is approved by the City Council, she would need to again contact
the business agent and request that the union cosponsor a request
to the State that these positions be withdrawn from the union. She
believes they will do this. The actual change in the duties of the
secretaries would only become effective when the State officially
recognizes that the positions are no longer in the union.
Item 3. Health Insurance Update -- It would be appropriate at this
time to summarize to the City Council the current situation
regarding the City of Eagan' s health insurance coverage. Alarmed
by the amount of insurance premium increases in recent years,
representatives of various bargaining groups requested that the
City's insurance committee be reactivated. Therefore, that
committee has been studying the current insurance climate since
January of this year with the objectives of becoming better
informed as to what is available in health insurance options in
order to control both the City's and the employees' costs for this
benefit. Various types of insurance programs have been and will
continue to be studied. It is expected that recommendations for
the Council 's consideration will be made sometime in late summer.
However, it is important that the Council receive good background
information now regarding this issue and continue to be updated
throughout the summer.
Item 4. Review of City of Eagan Compensation Range/Step Plan --
The City' s current compensation range/step plan was implemented in
1986. The plan was the result of the Council ' s decision to provide
a more objective uniformity in the method by which compensation was
determined for all non-collective bargaining employees and also to
conform to the requirements of the State' s pay equity legislation.
The plan has not been reviewed since that time. If there is time
at the workshop, it would be appropriate for the Council to review
the plan.
Item 5. Other Personnel Items -- If there is time and if there
are any other personnel items the Council wishes to discuss, it
would be appropriate to bring them up at the end of this workshop.
City Administrator
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A PRELIMINARY REPORT:
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL AND ITS ROLE IN REGIONAL GOVERNANCE
Metropolitan Council and Its Role in Regional Governance 1
I. AMM Involvement: The Metropolitan Governance Task Force 1
II. The Metropolitan Council's Role: What Should Its Concerns Be? 2
Recommendation: Re-emphasize a Visionary Role 2
Regional Demands, Regional Thinking 2
More Time to Look to Future, Address the Present 3
III. Metropolitan Council's Constituencies: Getting to the Customer 3
Recommendation: Seek More Participation from Local Level 4
IV. Metropolitan Governance: Who Does What? 4
Recommendation: Revive House Metropolitan Affairs
Committee 4
Recommendation: Council Examination of Issue Areas 5
Recommendation: Re-define Regional Agencies and Their
Responsibilities 6
V. Council Membership and Operation: Serving its Public 7
Recommendation: Direct Election of Council Members 7
Recommendation: Revise Council Chair, Daily Operations,
Appointments 8
VI. The Association of Metropolitan Municipalities: Its Role 8
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Metropolitan Governance Task Force,Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Copyright 1992
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL AND ITS ROLE IN REGIONAL GOVERNANCE
Recommendation: Re-emphasis of the Council's Visionary Role in Regional Governance:
A. Seek out future opportunities and challenges.
B.Develop strategies to meet these opportunities and challenges.
C.Allow another entity to implement the strategies.
D.Appoint Visions Committee to explore opportunities and challenges.
Recommendation: Seek More Participation from Local Level
A.Face-to-face meetings with city officials and staff.
B.Personnel"swap"between Metropolitan Council and local units of government.
Recommendation: Revive House of Representatives Metropolitan Affairs Committee
A.Provides proper forum for discussion of metropolitan views before House members.
B.Committee should be predominantly metropolitan legislators.
C.Senate counterpart needed in House.
Recommendation: Council Examination of Issue Areas
A.Continued examination in such areas as environmental concerns,transportation/transit,
neighborhood livability and law enforcement support.
B.Examine the role of current agencies with an eye to keeping them as is,modifying them,
eliminating them,transferring their duties elsewhere or evaluating new areas.
Recommendation: Changes in Agencies and Commissions
A.Re-defining the Metropolitan Airports Commission so it is a true regional commission.
B.Remove the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission from its current regional status.
C.Change Land Use Advisory Committee to Land Use Commission with review authority.
D.Council appoints all commissioners and chairs of agencies and commissions.
Recommendation: Direct Election of Council Members:
A.Elections by District,no more than two consecutive four-year terms.
B.Placement on ballot by self-nomination,nomination by city/town councils and/or county
boards,nomination by legislators representing district.
C.Non-partisan,publicly financed election.
Recommendation:Revise Election of Chair,Daily Council Operations,Agency Appointments
A.Chair elected biennially from Council.
B.Executive Director runs day-to-day operations and is answerable to the Council.
C.Agency appointments for fixed terms.
Metropolitan Council and Its Role in Regional Governance
The Metropolitan Council was formed to address specific problems,such as providing an adequate sewer
system for Minneapolis,St.Paul and the surrounding suburbs,but it had a broader focus.Its mission was
to serve the metropolitan area.Its first members took what could be called a pro-active stance and,over
time,became involved in issues such as land use planning,parks and open space,and transportation to
allow for the orderly expansion of growth in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
During the years since its inception to the present,however,the Metropolitan Council is perceived to
have become more politicized and is offhandedly referred to as the"State Department of Metropolitan
Affairs."It has,either by design or happenstance,become an enforcer of rules and regulations.It has
become enmeshed in minutia and dealing with the here-and-now,functioning less as an institution of
forward-thinking planning.Its condition became such that Gov.Arne Carlson called upon the Council to
justify its existence or cease operation.
When the Council was created to address the issues of sewers,transit,and parks and open space,it
seemed natural for the Council to engage more heavily in the day-to-day activities of the systems and
agencies it envisioned.The Council did nothing wrong,per se.Rather,it seemed to institutionalize its
vision,which pulled it back from forward-thinking.
I. AMM Involvement: The Metropolitan Governance Task Force
The Association of Metropolitan Municipalities,based on a recommendation from its own Futures
Committee,named the Metropolitan Governance Task Force to examine the regional governance system
for the Twin Cities metropolitan area.The AMM,acting upon concerns expressed by local officials,
embarked upon this venture for several reasons:
*The region seemed to have difficulty in addressing several critical issues,such as water and air
quality,waste management and transit.
* Some solutions,such as"consolidation," have been advanced even though they may not
accomplish an intended goal.
*The Task Force offered a forum in which city officials could examine governance systems that
may not have been advanced.
The Task Force's charge included:
1.The examination of the range of local and regional governmental services with an eye to
where problems exist.
2.A review of various methods of governance.
3.The directives of making recommendations about which level the planning,coordination and
delivery of local governmental services should occur,and making recommendations on the types
of governance needed to achieve efficient service delivery.
These recommendations could include consideration about the specific role of the Metropolitan Council
in the overall governance system,comments on which services should be delivered by the various units
of government,and advice on the formation or deletion of regional agencies.
The Task Force conducted panel discussions to gain a better perspective of the Metropolitan Council and
how it evolved.The Task Force heard from former Council chairs,current Council members,
metropolitan agency representatives, "good government"Council watchers,county representatives,and
appropriate members of the state House of Representatives and Senate.In addition the Task Force looked
to regional governances structures in the United States and Canada to see what worked elsewhere.
In this preliminary report,the Task Force will focus on what it believes the Metropolitan Council's role
should be in areas of concern to the Metropolitan Area.
II. The Metropolitan Council's Role: What Should Its Concerns Be?
When it was created,the Metropolitan Council was hailed nationwide.It was viewed by local
government leaders around the country as a harbinger of providing possible solutions to questions that
were beyond a city's scope yet not of statewide significance.The Metropolitan Council was seen as a
regional approach that blended local governance issues with regional service delivery approaches.
The hallmark of these years was delineating areas that needed a region-wide approach.The Council had
the vision to foresee such areas and then recommend the implementation method.Within 10 years of its
inception,this vision resulted in the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission,the Metropolitan Parks
and Open Space Commission,the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission and the Metropolitan
Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
As the years progressed,the scope of the Council's activities increasingly shifted.Instead of vision and
oversight of regional agencies,the Council became more enmeshed in the details of operation and
implementation.For example,rather than advocating a comprehensive regional approach to solid waste,
the Council is engaged directly in managing an elaborate system of grants.
Recommendation: Re-emphasize a Visionary Role
The Task Force recommends that the Metropolitan Council should seize upon this earlier ability
to identify the problems of the future and outline steps and consequences of solving those
problems.
This metropolitan area needs a strong voice and strong leadership to help guide the area into the
future.The Metropolitan Council has the opportunity to help advance the metropolitan area into
the next century. It should not hesitate to seize the opportunities to explore aspects of
metropolitan life and living,and probe them;not to do so could mean stagnation for this area.
Regional Demands, Regional Thinking
The Metropolitan Council-as well as cities in the metropolitan area-should think and act globally.
Several national surveys list the Twin Cities area as an up-and-coming region in international trade.
People outside of the metropolitan area do not see separate communities;rather,they see"The Cities" or
"The Twin Cities Area."The Council should be able to help promote this view of the region as one
entity.
As the Twin Cities metropolitan area moves toward the 21st Century,it will face situations where a
number of choices are possible.How the area responds to these situations and which choices are made
will determine the degree of success the area has in participating in the world economy.The
Metropolitan Council must be the body that foresees these critical junctures at which choices must be
made,clearly delineates what the choices are and outlines the ramifications of the alternatives.The role
of outlining choices has at least two aspects:
1.In any situation,"do nothing"is a choice.This choice has ramifications.Not having a regional
body laying out other alternatives means that the"do nothing"choice increasingly becomes the
decision that is made.
2.The lack of a regional body that identifies critical situations and outlines the range of choices
does not mean that the function will not be undertaken.Groups such as the Citizens League,
League of Women Voters,private business and the education establishment will identify some
situations and some choices.The problems with this scenario are that some situations would be
missed(meaning"do nothing"is the course of action)and the range of choices would be limited
when a situation is identified because of the nature of the group(s)examining the issue.
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There are many ways that the Metropolitan Council can exhibit forward-thinking leadership.For
example,the Council could appoint a permanent Visions(or Long-Range Planning or Futures)
Committee,similar to such committees in both the public and private sectors,to develop possible tracks
that the Council should consider.It is the Task Force's opinion that this committee would be the principle
committee of the Metropolitan Council.The Task Force would urge that committee members be rotated
to provide fresh outlooks on matters.This committee made up of Council members also should have staff
at its disposal.
For any situation it examines,the Metropolitan Council should be able to conceptualize a plan of action
and develop a strategy for achieving that plan.The Task Force believes the Council should neither
directly implement nor operate its course of action in most cases.To do so could stifle its ability to
continue to review and examine avenues and consequences of courses of action that could be taken to
anticipate and react to emerging problems.It also could result in crisis-driven management in which the
problem could be erroneously identified and the recommended solution would be,"Metropolitan Council
will take care of it by making it a regional system."Were the Council to adopt a visionary role,ideally
policy and accompanying strategies would spring from its vision.
More Time to Look to Future, Address the Present
By spending more time in developing issue areas and possible solutions,members would move away
from their direct involvement in the operation of a regional system.The Metropolitan Council could
recommend action in a variety of areas: development of a regional system without a regional agency to
operate it,creation of a regional agency or commission,suggest that the opportunity/problem be managed
on a subregional or a statewide basis,or,in some instances,recommend that nothing be done.
To be truly visionary,the Metropolitan Council must be allowed to spend more time thinking creatively
and thoroughly examining issues.Because of expectations by the Legislature,local officials and the
Governor's Office,the Metropolitan Council has not been encouraged to act as a think tank in its
examination of questions of significance to the metropolitan area.The Council,for example,could
examine the area's demographics to help it map a plan to address the aging population,deteriorating
neighborhoods or shifts in housing stock.
The Council members must be leaders in creating visions for the metropolitan community.Sometimes
that vision may conclude there is no metropolitan significance of any consequence.But the important
thing is that the Council looks for and studies questions of metropolitan significance.History has shown
that some matters of scope and vision did not always come from the Metropolitan Council's vision.For
example,the push for the world-class Minneapolis Convention Center came from Minneapolis business
and civic leaders,not the Metropolitan Council's foresight.
III. Metropolitan Council's Constituencies: Getting to the Customer
Once the Council is allowed to return to its role of a futurist,it must explain and defend its positions to its
constituencies.Who are its constituencies?
The Metropolitan Council's constituencies should be the people of the metropolitan area.The Council
should be accountable to the metropolitan area-cities,townships,counties,businesses,legislators,and
most importantly,its residents of today and tomorrow.Its message to its constituencies should be:The
Metropolitan Council is not a state agency.It is a regional planning and visioning agency that will help
develop the best possible environment for metropolitan area residents,businesses and visitors.It also is a
vehicle that will help foster intergovernmental cooperation.
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While its constituencies encompass the metropolitan area population,the bulk of the delivery of services
is handled by local units of government.The Council's effectiveness in identifying and responding to
issues of metropolitan significance would be determined significantly by the effectiveness of local units
of government with which it works.
Recommendation: Seek More Participation from Local Level
Council members need to evaluate how close to the metropolitan residents(or customers)the
level of service delivery should be.The Task Force believes the Council should actively work to
get cities and other organizations involved as much as possible in the delivery.If a local avenue
were not available,then a metro agency could provide the service in whole or in part as
necessary.If the issue is regional,then a regional answer is needed. If not,then a subregional
unit of government should address the matter.
The Council needs to remain informed about what its constituents think about services and who delivers
them.The Task Force recommends that Council members and staff meet and work with city officials and
employees to provide assistance as needed and to get a local perspective on issues. In addition to
receiving more information on a particular matter,the face-to-face meetings would build good will and
support that Council may need on other matters.
Another method of learning about subregional concerns would be a"swap"of personnel for a designated
time.For example,Council planners could work for cities and vice versa.Once the exchange is
completed,the affected personnel would bring a different perspective back to the Council and back to the
cities,allowing for better understanding between the two bodies.
IV. Metropolitan Governance: Who Does What?
One of the major problems that the Task Force sees as hampering the current governance system is
involvement by everyone possible in every issue area.Therefore,it is difficult to determine who is taking
the lead on regional issues.
The Task Force suggests these parameters for the following units of government:
THE LEGISLATURE:The Legislature has the responsibility of coordinating the state's education system
for K-12 and higher education,human services,state tax policy,statewide transportation,and those
leisure services of statewide impact.The Legislature has a critical role in creating an atmosphere within
which the metropolitan area can function,e.g.,whether to add another regional system or modify the
geographical area under the Council's influence.Once an operating decision is made,however,the
Legislature needs to step back and allow its decision to be implemented.
Recommendation: Revive House Metropolitan Affairs Committee
The Task Force recommends the House of Representatives reconstitute its Metropolitan Affairs
Committee of the late 1980s as a counterpart to the Metropolitan Affairs Committee in the
Senate.Membership on these committees would be predominantly metropolitan legislators.The
Task Force believes that such a committee should address the current lack of a sufficient
legislative forum for consideration of public policy issues of unique metropolitan significance.
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL: As stated previously,the Metropolitan Council has the responsibility of
envisioning opportunities,developing strategies for meeting those opportunities and oversight of the
regional agency or commission that implements the strategies. By "oversight,"the Task Force means
Council would state the purpose of regional commissions and agencies,review long-range
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implementation and strategic plans,and review and approve long-range capital budgets.It also would be
responsible for representing agencies under its purview at the state government level.
Recommendation: Council Examination of Issue Areas
The Metropolitan Council has legitimate concerns about certain aspects of the metropolitan area.
The predominant purpose of the Council is to facilitate the coordinated planning and
development of the metropolitan area,The Council and its agencies also can provide region-
wide services(without duplicating those provided by local government)that are beyond the
capabilities of local governmental units to implement individually or jointly and provide region-
wide planning as necessary and in cooperation of affected local government units.
The Task Force believes the Council should continue to facilitate discussions in areas that affect
the quality of life in the metropolitan area.They are:
*Land Use Planning and Growth Management:Review of local comprehensive plans and
urban growth issues as related to the regional impact of new commercial,industrial and housing
development.This includes the public infrastructure system of schools,parks,streets,sewers,
public facilities,and the accompanying public expenditures and services that are demanded
when urban growth and development occurs.Growth management issues should continue to be
planned by the Metropolitan Council to ensure coordinated and compatible suburban growth
patterns and to avoid"leap-frog"development.
*Housing,Community Preservation and Neighborhood Revitalization:The enormous
investments in urban infrastructure(schools,parks,streets and public utilities)throughout the
metropolitan area must be preserved.Also,housing stock and healthy communities must be
preserved.In some cases,urban decay has begun.This decay manifests itself in
commercial/industrial decline and in deteriorating conditions in housing.The social-economic
and political implications of such decay are far-reaching and directly impact the overall resource
base of the metropolitan area.
Regional strategies should be developed that address both the preservation of housing and
infrastructure systems,and the more intensive efforts that are needed to reclaim communities
already experiencing decline.Opportunities should be established that would encourage capital
reinvestment in declining areas.
*Environment:wastewater treatment,solid waste management,surface water management,air
and water quality issues,polluted lands and dumps.
*Transportation:including airport,highway and transit planning and regional rail authorities.
*Human Resources:The Task Force recommends that the Council not become directly
engaged in the delivery of human/social services,including health care.It should be involved in
planning how the services could be delivered more efficiently and effectively.This could
include educational matters as well.The Metropolitan Council as constituted now has a problem
entering into discussions about education in the metropolitan area.However,a visioning role
would give Council an easier entry into these deliberations about the quality and future of
education.
*Public Safety Support:jails,communications(including 911),emergency preparedness,
bomb squads,SWAT teams and hazardous material response teams.
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*Recreational and Leisure Services:regional parks,cultural and sporting facilities,
convention centers and libraries and their impact on the metropolitan area in general and host
communities in particular.
REGIONAL AGENCIES:The Metropolitan Council will have an increased role in visioning and a decreased
role in routine operations.It would rely upon the make-up of the regional agencies to carry out the vision.
Therefore,the regional agencies must be re-examined to determine whether they are,indeed,providing
leadership in regional issues and are responsive to the Council's direction.The Council would have
oversight role in an agency's long-range planning and review,appoint members and boards,and review
both capital and operating budgets.
Recommendation: Re-define Regional Agencies and Their Responsibilities
The Task Force would recommend that the following action happen with respect to regional functions:
-The Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission and the Metropolitan Waste
Control Commission should remain.Each was developed to meet specific needs in the regions,
and they continue to carry out their original intent.
-The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission would be removed from metropolitan
consideration.The Council has a significant role siting a regional sports facility.Once the
facility is sited,however,the Council should end its involvement to allow the cities involved to
handle the day-to-day operations and direct oversight.
-Modify the status of the Metropolitan Airports Commission so it is clear that M.A.C.is a
regional agency,not a state agency.While the Task Force realizes the Minneapolis/St.Paul
International Airport serves the whole state,the Task Force must note that the commission does
not control airports outside of the metropolitan area. It does not have statewide financial
backing. Its decisions have significant impact on the metropolitan area.
The Land Use Advisory Committee Becomes the Land Use Commission.This commission
would review siting questions,amendments to a city's comprehensive plan,environmental
reviews and proposed projects of metropolitan significance.This change alone would free the
Council from a significant amount of the detail work it currently undertakes.
-Reorganize the transportation and transit structure and operation in the region.Regarding the
question of transit and transportation in the metropolitan area,the Task Force would note that
the area has the Metropolitan Transit Commission,the Regional Transit Board and regional rail
authorities all addressing transit issues.Because these separate entities have individual missions
as well as overlapping concerns,metropolitan-wide coordination of transit and transportation
matters is lacking.The Metropolitan Council has the overall responsibility for the transportation
network in the metropolitan region,including airports,light rail,roadways,and conventional
people-moving transit means.This is an issue that the Task Force must revisit before offering
any recommendations because of the complexities inherent in transportation and transit
questions.
-The need for regional commissions on housing,surface water management and solid waste
management would be evaluated.The new responsibilities also could be assigned to an existing
commission. It should be noted that the AMM has policy statements regarding these issues.
COUNTIES:Counties are the local administrators of state-mandated services.Counties have handled
human services needs,including health care,and the criminal justice system including courts and jails. If
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counties handle these areas,it may help ease the overburdening of cities th at feel
compelled to offer
similar services.The Task Force believes the counties should continue their delivery in the areas of
human services and criminal justice.Counties should be restricted in their delivery of transit and property
services.The Task Force believes that the delivery of transit and property-related services should be
examined with an eye toward eliminating duplicated services that area delivered by a city,county or a
regional entity.
CITIES:The role of cities is to provide those services necessary to promote the health,safety and welfare
of their residents.These responsibilities would include such areas as property related service,land-use
control,public safety,economic development,recreation and local transportation.
TOWNSHIPS:The Task Force has not spent significant time reviewing the role of townships,but will do
so in the coming months.
V. Council Membership and Operation: Serving its Public
How much authority the Metropolitan Council has depends largely on its accountability to its
constituencies.The perception is that the current Metropolitan Council seemingly is accountable to
everyone.When asked by Task Force members about its audience,several Council members said the
Legislature and then the general public;legislators said the general public,then the Legislature.These
apparent contradictions in accountability helped contribute to the lack of enthusiasm it receives from its
audience(s).
Discussions by the various panels of Council members,past and present Council chairs,legislators,
county commission representatives and"good government"Council watchers,indicated that a change
should be made in the method of selecting Council members.Panel participants cited,among other
things,accountability,credibility and freedom from legislative restraints,real or imagined.Also,Council
elections would force metropolitan voters to think about the region as a whole.
Recommendation: Direct Election of Council Members
To give the Council the authority it needs to pursue a regional agenda,the Task Force
recommends that each member of the Metropolitan Council be elected by district from 16
districts of equal or near equal population.The terms would be four-year and staggered,and
Council members could run for no more than two consecutive,four-year terms.By having
staggered limited terms,the Council would have new ideas and input,while safeguarding against
the amount of influence any one person(or groups of persons)could wield.
Elections would be non-partisan.Filings would be conducted at the Secretary of State's office.
Campaigns would be publicly financed.Candidates would not have the option of raising their own funds.
The positions would be part-time,with commensurate pay,with no provision for per diem.The Task
Force does not envision Council membership as a full-time occupation.However,Council members
should be expected to commit enough time to serve their constituents well.
The candidate receiving the majority(50 percent plus one)of the number of votes cast would be the
winner.If there is no majority winner,the top two vote-getters would face each other in a runoff election.
A candidate's name may be placed in nomination one of three ways:
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1.Self-nomination by a petition of 1 percent of voters registered within the district. Verification of the
signatures would be conducted by the county auditor's election division office.or
2.A resolution of endorsement and nomination by the city and town councils and/or county boards
representing x percentage of residents in the Metropolitan Council district.The councils or boards each
could nominate one candidate per district.or
3.A nominating process through which a majority of legislators representing the Metropolitan Council
district nominate a candidate for that district.The legislators could nominate one candidate per district.
An incumbent need not repeat the petition nor resolution process,although s/he may seek endorsement if
desired.However,county boards and city councils may pass a resolution of endorsement for another
candidate.
Should a vacancy occur,the sitting Council would fill the vacancy by selecting a person from the list of
persons as nominated above.The person selected to fill the unexpired term may seek a full term on the
Council at the next election.
Recommendation: Revise Council Chair. Daily Operations. Appointments
The Council would be a de facto think tank.It would need the expertise of a management staff
to help the Council maintain its vision and not become caught up in the paperwork.The Task
Force recommends the Council should elect its chair biennially from within the Council
membership.In this way,the Council,sitting as a board of directors,would be able to develop
policy and not be directly involved in its implementation.Under this system,the Task Force also
recommends that the Council strengthen the authority of the Executive Director in running the
day-to-day operations.The Executive Director would be accountable to the entire Council.
The appointment process and structure of all metropolitan agencies should be re-examined under
this new procedure.The Task Force recommends the Council appoint all chairs and members to
regional agencies under Council's purview,and that the appointments should be for fixed terms.
When considering appointments,Council should appoint members who have a demonstrated
knowledge of the subject area.If an agency has an executive director's position,that position
would be appointed by the agency board.The Task Force also recommends the Council review
operating budgets and approve capital budgets of its operating agencies.
The Council develops the concept and plans the strategies to meet the concept's demands.Regional
agencies handle the implementation and operation of those strategies.The Task Force believes that the
Council should set overall standards and goals for their agencies and provide oversight.If problems occur
within an agency,the Council should become involved to the extent of helping to resolve the situation,
even if it means removing for cause,if necessary.
VI. The Association of Metropolitan Municipalities: Its Role
The AMM would have a role of offering input to the Metropolitan Council and its Visions Committee.
This approach would assure that the onus of identifying opportunities/problems and methods for
addressing them would not fall solely upon the Metropolitan Council.The AMM would help formulate
these concepts; the Metropolitan Council would be the forum by which the concepts are developed.
The AMM also could become a facilitator of discussion with other entities regarding the development of
issue areas.Too often an idea is rejected out of hand because a proponent sometimes would be the
developer and/or overseer.In such an instance,it may be easier for the AMM,given its historical
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relationship with the Metropolitan Council,to act as the liaison between the Metropolitan Council and
another entity when a new concept is proposed.In this way,the concept could be accepted or rejected on
its face,not because of the messenger.
An organization such as the AMM also could facilitate discussions with Minnesota cities now considered
outside of the Metropolitan Council's geographic boundaries.As population and transportation issues go
beyond the traditional boundaries of the current metropolitan area,and as society becomes more global in
concept,cities outside of the region may play vital roles in the Twin Cities area.
(Revised:April 13, 1992)
(Revised: April 16, 1992)
(Revised: April 20, 1992)
(Revised: April 27, 1992)
(Revised: April 30, 1992)
(Revised:May 11, 1992)
(Revised: May 14, 1992)
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