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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-10-03 WUCFD MINUTESWATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT (APACHE JUNCTION WATER COMPANY) CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 3, 2006 The regular meeting of the District Board of the Water Utilities Community Facilities District (Apache Junction Water Company), City of Apache Junction, Arizona, was held on October 3, 2006, at the Apache Junction City Council Chambers pursuant to the notice required by law. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Coleman called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Board Members Present:Chairperson Douglas Coleman Vice Chairperson R.E. Eck, Jr. Mr. Rick Dietz Mr. John Insalaco Mr. Joseph Severs Mr. Kris Sippel Mr. Dave Waldron Staff Present: Others Present: George Hoffman, District Manager Kathleen Connelly, District Clerk Giao Pham, District Engineer Doug Dobson, Utility Director Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell Human Resources Director Liz Riley HR Assistant Analyst Arlene Jackson APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2006 ) Mr. Dietz MOVED THAT THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2006, BE APPROVED. Mr. Waldron SECONDED THE MOTION. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 1 of 11 VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION TO DISTRICT MANAGER ON DISTRICT OPERATIONS MANAGER POSITION )District Manager George Hoffman briefed the board on the item.He stated with the . chairman's permission he sought the help of the vice chairman and Boardmember Dietz in looking over the applications for the current recruitment..He wants to be sure they are attracting overall the caliber of candidates that would give them -the kind of consultation and guidance that they were hoping for from a board., They gave him the type of response that he was interested in getting.From their .point of view, they should perhaps upgrade the position to more of a department director kind .of position with an eye towards subsequently adding to the position to make:it a much more line operations -oriented position.He felt that currently they want someone.department director -level position, someone who could really offer the long term perspective and guidance on the strategicissues:that are facing the water:district.He is comfortable with that recommendation but it will necessitatea change to the classification:plan.They are bringing that back: tonight to see if that issue resonates with them as.well.He asked the vice chair and Mr. Dietz if .he summarized -that correctly. Vice Chairperson Eck commented he feels pretty much exactly as the district manager had said.They have directors for the,other departments.After discussions with the water district at budget time, he feels like they need a director; someone who will be knowledgeable, ambitious, and will help get the water resources they need. Someone of a caliber to help them in that position.They can let that individual bring in a field person position if it is needed.Since he has been on the board, that position has worn way too many hats; they are running that person too many different directions. Mr. Dietz agreed.He commented they need to take a stand with the water company, get the correct personnel in, and have him bring in what he feels he Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 2 of 11 needs to make it successful and run properly.They do it with all the other departments, he feels it is important they do it •with this one. Mr. Sippel commented here and now.Now is the time.If they are going to make a change, now is the time. Mr. Dietz agreed. Mr. Sippel asked if this means that Doug Dobson would no longer oversee the department. District Manager George Hoffman stated he believes they could structure that any number of ways.He thinks they could do something similar to the structure used for Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell over human resources and information technology.Bryant oversees them and some others.The human resources director and the information technology director are director level positions. There is some variegation in the department director levels. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell stated they are division directors. District Manager George Hoffman asked at what range are the division directors. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell stated the division directors are about 4 ranges below the department directors.Their range is around $78,000 to $98,000 per year.The department directors are a little bit more. District Manager George Hoffman commented he thought they had talked about a range of around $85,000 to $105,000. Human Resources Director Liz Riley spoke from the audience but was too far away to be clearly audible. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 3 of 11 District Manager George Hoffman stated one thing that is immensely valuable, in part due to Doug's management style, is that he put together a very close management team between himself, the district engineer and Brian Hall.They worked well as a team.Part of that is structural, part of it is Doug's approach to problem solving and building teams.It makes sense to have it in the chain with public works. Mr. Dietz commented Doug's title here is utility director.So we hire a water works director. Mr. Sippel asked if they would be equal. Mr. Dietz commented so that if they ever get into any other utility business, Doug would get it.They could have other directors if the need arises for garbage and sewer. Mr. Sippel commented it provides the coordination.He added he liked his way of thinking.That person would report to Doug. District Manager George Hoffman commented he thought they were looking for an individual on a pay scale that would allow them to get that caliber of individual.With the utility director being one of the largest departments and having one of the higher pay scales, he thinks they could still have a high level position and still have it answering to the utility director. Vice Chairperson Eck commented he thinks the public works director will always be involved with the water district. Mr. Dietz commented Doug would probably like to see it go bye-bye. stated he would Whether it is a Utility Director Doug Dobson like to say something and show them something. director, division head, or his assistant, he Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 4 of 11 would like to tell them about some of the applicants.He commented on the qualifications of a number of applicants.He would like to keep the same applicants as this is the best pool they have ever had. Mr. Dietz agreed.He added he was not saying they had great applicants; the job description is what he was concerned about. Utility Director Doug Dobson stated he has 6 applicants that have put in their application. If he was rating the applicants at this point, it would be in the bottom third.The top two-thirds are people Mr. Hoffman looks for in regards to department directors now.Whatever is done with the position, he would at least like to make contact with these people and let them know how the position has been changed, that they are still qualified, and see if they are interested in the new position.He would like to be able to use these applicants instead of having to go back out and wait another 30 to 45 days to get back to this point. District Manager George Hoffman asked if he meant he did not want to re -recruit. Utility Director Doug Dobson stated he would like to call these people in and talk to some of them.They are willing to come in at this salary, and the mid- range at this position is $74,175.The $85,000 would be even better for them.He would at least like to interview them; if they decide on a director, he would like to interview them for director because they have degrees and experience. Vice Chairperson Eck commented he noted there were two that really stood out.He would like to go back out for the director position but contact everyone who had applied and ask them to please reapply for the director.He thought they would open the job pool. Mr. Dietz commented they might even get some even higher qualified people for the director position.He is not saying that the top two here are not awesome. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 5 of 11 Utility Director Doug Dobson stated he would like to make it available for at least the top two or three people. Vice Chairperson Eck commented he believes they are saying they would go back out and reopen it.He is not sure if they would have to fill out another application, but they would definitely have some additional competition. Mr. Waldron asked if they would have to re -advertise it if this is changed. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell stated if they change the qualifications, the job title or the salary it must be re -advertised. District Manager George Hoffman asked if they could put these people back in the pool so that they do not have to reapply. Human Resources Director Liz Riley stated if they meet the new qualifications they can.She added they would probably contact all of them and let them know that we are re -recruiting and determine if they are interested in staying in. Mr. Waldron asked if it would extend the time again another 30 to 45 days. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell commented he wanted to make sure that they understand that it will take another chunk of time. Mr. Sippel asked if they could interview the current candidates during that time. Human Resources Director Liz Riley stated they could if they meet the minimum qualifications. She does not know what the job will end up looking like.She made additional comments that were not audible. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 6 of 11 Mr. Waldron asked if they could hire the position as it is now and elevate it later. Human Resources Director Liz Riley spoke from the audience but was not audible. Mr. Dietz commented it seems like it would:be more important.to:have the director:in place, the person who 'will actually take this thing and run with it, and have him bring in his operations manager.It-makes .more sense.It is like bringing in the chief and havinglaim bring in who he needs to help him and hiring his command staff.He would expect the same from any other director; that they would -bring in who was most qualified. District Manager George Hoffman commented if they do the division director construct, the pay range would go from $82,240 to $115,136. Vice Chairperson Eck commented he believes it needs to be that.Especially after what has happened. District Manager George Hoffman stated a lot is going on in the private sector right now. Mr. Dietz commented if it takes another month, now is the time to do it. Mr. Sippel stated .he is not against it, but his concern is the budget.If they are going to elevate this position $10,000 or.whatever, then that person .is going to want to bring in someone at a $60,000 level, and now the staffing has been increased by $75,000.They have already had to raise rates to break' even. District Manager George Hoffman stated it was not to break even.It was to get a 120% ratio and all that.There is also a contingency now. Mr. Sippel stated his concern is that they are bringing in a lot more staffing dollars into a Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 7 of 11 department that he does not disagree needs the boost as far as upper management, but he is not sure the money is there to do it.He is not sure he is comfortable doing it. Vice Chairperson Eck commented he thinks they just need a director and then let the director decide.That is one of the things he will have to decide; financially, what they are going to give him.He feels they have not put as much effort into the water district as a board as they have needed to.He would like someone like these two candidates they have, only a dozen of them, and make the decision hard for them to make on whom to hire because of the quality of the candidates.He would like that person to be coming to them regularly and making the improvements necessary. He knows they will need a field person; they have been understaffed at that position for too long.They have a high need for getting the district's own water.He would like to have someone who will tell the consultant this is what he wants because they have the experience to do so.That is what he is looking for.They may have someone here with these candidates, but he wants to look further even though it may take more time. He thinks in the long run it should be worth it. Mr. Dietz agreed. Mr. Insalaco concurred. Chairperson Coleman closed the discussion and called for a motion. Vice Chairperson Eck MOVED THAT THE FOLLOWING DIRECTION BE GIVEN TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER REGARDING THE DISTRICT OPERATIONS MANAGER POSITION:THAT WE CONTINUE TO LEAVE THE DISTRICT OPERATIONS MANAGER POSITION OPEN BUT WE CREATE A NEW POSITION OF WATER DISTRICT DIRECTOR. District Manager George Hoffman asked what he meant by leaving the position open. Vice Chairperson Eck stated they are not replacing the position with another.The position would stay there and it would be filled later at the discretion Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 8 of 11 of the director.He asked if they are going to just change one position or leave the position there and create a new one. District Manager George Hoffman stated he thinks if they create a department level position, they would not want to have this high level position. They could go back and create a very hands on operational position. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell stated they would have to change the water manager job description. District Manager George Hoffman stated out of this one position would come two.One would be higher, one would be lower. Vice Chairperson Eck AMENDED HIS MOTION TO READ THAT WE GIVE DIRECTION TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER TO CREATE A WATER DISTRICT DIRECTOR POSITION. Mr. Dietz SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:5-2 (Mr. Sippel and Mr. Waldron voted in opposition.) The motion carried. DISTRICT UTILITY DIRECTOR REPORT None. DISTRICT MANAGER REPORT District Manager George Hoffman stated for purposes of the district moving forward, and for him not having got it in the motion, it would be his intent to move forward with something probably in range 75 with a salary of roughly $82,000 to $115,000. DISTRICT TREASURER REPORT None. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 9 of 11 DISTRICT COUNSEL REPORT None. ADJOURNMENT adjourned the meeting at 6:26 p.m. )Chairperson Coleman ACCEPTED THIS 14TH DAY OF NOVEMBER , 2006, BY THE CHAIRPERSON AND DISTRICT BOARD OF THE WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT (APACHE JUNCTION WATER COMPANY), CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA. SIGNED AND ATTESTED TO THIS 2006. ATTEST: Kathleen Connelly District Clerk 14Th DAY OF NaVEMBER Douglas CoWman Chairperso Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 10 of 11 WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT MINUTES CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the Water Utilities Community Facilities District of the City of Apache Junction, Arizona, held on the 3rd day of October, 2006.I further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this 6th day of October, 2006. Kathleen Connelly District Clerk Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of October 3, 2006 Page 11 of 11