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2005-03-15 SP MTG13 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 03-15-2005 MTG. #13 118 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING MTG. #13 March 15, 2005 RES. 150-152 6:00 p.m. TOWN BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT SUPERVISOR DANIEL STEC COUNCILMAN ROGER BOOR COUNCILMAN THEODORE TURNER COUNCILMAN JOHN STROUGH COUNCILMAN TIM BREWER TOWN OFFICIALS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MARILYN RYBA Supervisor Stec-Opened the Meeting 1.0 Planning Board Alternate Interview-Executive Session RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSON RESOLUTION NO. 150. 2005 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Theodore Turner RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby moves into an Executive Session to interview a candidate for a Planning Board Alternate. th Duly adopted this 15 day of March, 2005 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Boor, Mr. Turner, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Stec NOES: None ABSENT:None RESOLUTION ADJOURNING EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION NO. 151.2005 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Roger Boor WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. John Strough RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns its Executive Session and moves back into Special Session. th Duly adopted this 15 day of March, 2005 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Boor, Mr. Turner, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Stec NOES: None SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 03-15-2005 MTG. #13 119 ABSENT: None Supervisor Stec-We just came out of Executive Session the first order or business was to go into Executive Session for the purpose of interviewing a candidate for a Planning Board alternate. We interviewed that candidate Mr. Tom Ford, no action was taken in Executive Session. 2.0 Community Development Personnel Discussion Councilman Strough-Spoke to the Board regarding the growth in the Town, stating that Queensbury at the most challenging moments that I have ever seen, we need to implement the Open Space Plan, we have a Comprehensive Land Use plan that needs to be updated, Conservation Zoning, the Planning Board is up in arms to the point where they asked for a moratorium, there is a lot of stress going on in the Town right now, there is a general agreement to develop a comprehensive bicycle plan noting there is money out there for it, there is a need for alternative transportation. That is a big job and we will be asking Marilyn and her team in the Community Development Department to play a major role in that. Spoke on the need for an assistant to Marilyn to help her out with the little things that she should not have to be dealing with. I think the Town needs the position. Councilman Turner-I feel that way myself, there is just too much work for her to do by herself. Councilman Brewer-I understand and appreciate that and I agree to the extent that Marilyn is very busy but my contention would be is if Marilyn is doing those planning functions maybe the position is not an administrative assistant maybe the position is another planner. Councilman Strough-I do not work in that office every day and there is a lot of things that go on in the office that I know nothing about I think Marilyn if any person will have a better hands on idea of what she needs in that office, I am not going to try and out guess her. Supervisor Stec-I would have said the same thing. I am hearing that one board member is suggesting we have got a slot for a person, would you prefer a planner or an assistant? Councilman Brewer-What is better served if we have another planner does more get done relieving a lot more pressure so you could delegate not only Stu could delegate work you could delegate work maybe it eases the pressure, maybe it is something to look at. As I think about it maybe that is a better option. Executive Director Ryba-Here is what I was looking for in terms of having an assistant, confidential secretary, there are union personnel, overtime eligible personnel, professional overtime exempt personnel just keeping track of the time week to week and the time off and all of these things depending on if it is vacation etc. that type of thing is simple but it is time consuming. Under the Union Contract, the support staff, they cannot handle any kind of personal confidential matters. So, anyone hired if they were a planning assistant they cannot handle, at least from their job description, doesn’t do confidential matters. The other thing would be just something such as wanting detail on getting time off, getting time off without pay, just going through those kinds of things are the things I cannot have anybody else doing. Even the photo copies that you wanted of personnel resumes I could not have another person make that. That is why I was looking for an assistant. Need someone to keep track of details, contracts, grants, etc. Councilman Brewer-Are we doing the right thing for all of us? Is it just an assistant or is it some person we could hire that could do many different tasks, fill in when someone is on vacation when there is someone out sick.? Councilman Boor-I see both sides of the issue, I have a lot of the same concerns that Tim has, what I hope would happen and we did budget for this and it was something that will SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 03-15-2005 MTG. #13 120 probably happen. I was hoping that we could bring on this new person that we just hired and we would have a month or two with them. I think you did a great job with Stuart Baker, everything that I have seen from him and every time I have seen him talk I think he was a great find. I am hoping the same is going to be the case with the new person. I was just hoping that we could stage this thing in so that we would have a better feel because if we gave it to you all at once we would not really know, from our stand point we would not know where the real benefit is, who is doing what, maybe it is not important. The other point that Tim raises that is of concern how high does this position go salary wise? It maybe once there are in there it is very hard to replace because they are going to have all this corporate knowledge. Executive Director Ryba-That is part of the reason historically the Community Development Director position has had high turn over so you have somebody who has overlapping knowledge and can transition. Councilman Boor-Are we starting too high? Supervisor Stec-What was the classification? Executive Director Ryba-Grade 5 That is what we planned for based on what other confidential secretaries positions were … Councilman Boor-One of the early concerns that I had was that this was going to be a buffer where it would longer and harder to get information from you, and that is not what I want. There is a difference between and Executive Secretary and a Confidential Secretary, I just want to make sure that this is not one of these things where I call down there and get put on hold and I go well they will get back to you and I do not know if you are really getting the message. Executive Director Ryba-Well, certainly part of it is to help with some things, someone asks for me and they get me whether or not, sometimes pass them off to someone else but it is still takes some time and when we are busy like the month in November I show in the record, every five minutes I average a phone call. Town Board Members always have priority no doubt about that. Supervisor Stec-We spent a lot of time on the budget I feel that this is a redundant conversation for me, with that said and I certainly reserve the right to change my mind as does everyone in this room has the right to change their minds as more information comes pertinent. However, with that I have not changed my mind, and hearing what Marilyn is saying tonight, I know that Marilyn feels that this subject has been beaten to death and I have not seen anything to make me want to change my mind. This is part of the spending plan for the year but with that said I understand what Tim is offering and what Roger said. I think it was entirely reasonable to say why don’t we wait a month or two and wait for the dust to settle a little more, if the Board would like to do that I think it is reasonable and I would wait to do that. However if Marilyn is saying look that is not going to help me at all I need this person yesterday. Councilman Strough-While things are juggling into space shouldn’t all of them be there juggling and finding their nitches? Executive Director Ryba-It was my goal to have everybody on board at the same time and especially before we really get crazy. As soon as the snow is off the ground that is when it is going to be non stop. Supervisor Stec-I would rather have somebody in place already before, you are right yours is a seasonal operation. Executive Director Ryba-Now it is steady, I just know, I have been working here for six years now. Councilman Boor-Is this overtime exempt? SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 03-15-2005 MTG. #13 121 Executive Director Ryba-Yes. Supervisor Stec-Marilyn is suggesting sooner rather than later and still an assistant not a planner. Ted and John are nodding in agreement, I have not heard violent protests from either Tim or Roger.. Councilman Brewer-I do not have a violent protest I just respectfully disagree it is nothing against anybody, I have a gut feeling. Supervisor Stec-I think there is consensus to execute the plan. I am with Ted and John on this one. Councilman Boor-The only thing I would disagree with Tim on is I do not think a planner is what, because you would have to pay more and I am not sure we need a planner because you have to be paying more and I am not sure we need a planner. Councilman Brewer-I am not necessarily saying there should be a planner I am just saying that is an option. Councilman Boor-Not to be little but it sounds like we need a boy Friday type thing, we need somebody to cover all the bases, to tie up the loose ends to do the menial tasks so speak for the daily operations, the administrative portion. Supervisor Stec-Monday night there will be a resolution prepared for an assistant. Noted that Mrs. Ryba has a candidate in mind, polled the Board if candidate one does not take the job will the board authorize her to select number two…board agreed. RESOLUTION ADJOURNING TOWN BOARD SPECIAL MEETING RESOLUTION NO. 152.2005 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. John Strough WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Theodore Turner RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby moves to adjourn its Special Meeting. th Duly adopted this 15 day of March, 2005 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Boor, Mr. Turner, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Stec NOES: None ABSENT: None Respectfully submitted, Miss Darleen M. Dougher Town Clerk-Queensbury