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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes-06-13-59-Regular Meeting599 MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY JUNE 13TH, 1959 The City Council of the City of Downey held an adjourned meeting in the Council Chambers of the Downey City Hall at 8:00 A.M. on Saturday, June 13, 1959. Mayor Edwin W. Giddings presiding. PRESENT: Councilmen: Dunnum, Peavey, Stamps, Temple, Giddings ALSO PRESENT: Oren L. King, City Manager Glenn Kendall, Director of Finance Don Simpson, City Engineer Robert Vollmer, Administrative Asst., Public Works Della Doyle, City Clerk Alberta Pfeiffer, Deputy City Clerk Mayor Giddings announced that the meeting was called for the purpose of discussing the City's proposed operating budget and how it relates to the salaries for the employees of the City, the first item for discussion to be salaries. The City Clerk read a letter addressed to Mayor Giddings which the Mayor stated he had been requested to have read. The letter was from Richard Simon, Deputy Chief of Los Angeles, who had a major roll in the organization of -the Downey Police Department. In the letter, Mr. Simon restated the fundamentals of a first rate Police Department and recommended that the Downey policemen's salary be brought up to a level approximately that of Deputy Sheriffs. Councilman Temple stated that he concurs with Mr. Simon in that the police salary scale should be on a par with the Los Angeles Police Department, and not only police but all other offices with exception of Department Heads, who should be analyzed separately as to the amount of responsibility. Mayor Giddings, in reply to a question as to whether Mr. Simon's letter had been solicited, stated it had not. Councilman Peavey stated that he is against voting for a tax increase above 29� and that the budget should be set on what we could live with, having due consideration for the taxpayers. Mayor Giddings stated that the tax rate will be determined at a later date and consideration at this meeting will be given only to salaries and the budget phase, taking care of salaries within the present framework of the proposed operating budget, if possible. Mayor Giddings stated that he is not for higher taxes but feels we must provide for good government, good people and more services for their money. The Mayor stated the Council and the Chamber of Commerce should work toward bringing in more income and getting more people to shop in Downey, doing everything to increase retail sales. The Mayor presented a report which he had requested from the City Manager outlining the costs of one -step (5% increase) for the remaining 62 employees not included in the Personnel Advisory Board's recommendation.. Councilman Peavey inquired of the City Manager what the saving would be by cutting back the proposed additions to the departments to, say, 8 addi- tions rather than 10 proposed in Public Works, allowing the 3 additional personnel in the Fire Department, and 1 employee rather than the 5 requested in the Police Department. Mr. King stated the savings would have to be calculated and presented later. Councilman Dunnum inquired of the Director of Finance if the recommenda- tion of the City Manager's report would change the relationship equalizing the salary scale. The Director of Finance stated it will adjust the over -all scale. The recommendation of the Personnel Advisory Board established a rela- tionship, according to the Director of Finance, that is as correct as is humanly possible to be, and that a percentage increase across the board would not change that relationship. The following represents the recommended changes as shown on the new Salary Relationship Chart as prepared by the Personnel Advisory Board: Classification From To Laborer 9 10 Custodian II New 10 Groundsman - Gardener 10 11 Equipment Oper. I 11 12 Maintenance Man I New 12 Sr. Maintenance Man 15 16 Maintenance Man II New 14 Equipment Oper. III New 15 Jr. Engineering Aide 18 15 Engineering Aide 16 17 Field Serviceman New 16 Planning Aide New 17 Maintenance Foreman New 18 Planning Assistant 18 19 Jr. Civil Engineer 19 21 Sr. Engineering Aide New 19 Administrative Aide 19 22 Forester New 20 Maintenance Supt. New 21 Sr. Building Inspector New 21 Assistant Civil Engineer 21 23 Associate Civil Engineer 24 25 City Planner 26 Special Sr. Civil Engineer (Reg.) New 27 Account Clerk III New 12 Purchasing Agent 22 24 Communication Oper. I New 9 Police Officer 16 17 Police Investigator 17 lg Police Sergeant 119 20 Fireman 16 17 Fire Engineer 18 19 Librarian I 12 14 Librarian II 14 16 600 (Dir. of Planning) Councilman Dunnum stated that as it appears there are certain inequities or unbalanced situations presently within the internal relationship in the bench mark people as shown in the Personnel Advisory Board's report, these inequities should be corrected and everyone in the City be put on a comparable basis. It was moved by Councilman Dunnum, seconded by Councilman Temple and passed by the following vote to adopt the bench mark salary changes (as out- lined above) as recommended by the Personnel Advisory Board to correct the inequities. 5 AYES: Councilmen: Peavey, Dunnum, Stamps, Temple, Giddings 0 NOES: Councilmen: None 0 ABSENT: Councilmen: None 601. Councilman Dunnum stated that a point remains that the Council has a dual purpose to serve - -to be fair to the employees of the City and a duty and fairness to the taxpayers and citizens as well. There seems to be an automatic conclusion drawn that by an over -all increase in salaries, there will be an increase in taxes. Councilman Dunnum firmly stated that he is unalterably, irrevocably and emphatically opposed to increasing the tax rate we now have. Councilman Dunnum recommended that the Advisory Tax Study Committee look,to other fields of taxation which other cities have explored and who, through other avenues of tariff, have been receiving considerable revenue. The City should look to the unrepresented reservoir of the people who live in Downey, enjoy all benefits, but do not own any property and go scot-free taxwise. Councilman Dunnum stated there are many other instances to be cited if need be at a study which he hopes will take place. After much discussion on the feasibility of all other City employees, not included in the pay adjustment shown in the Personnel Advisory Board's report, being given a one -step pay increase to the step next to their present one, it was moved by Councilman Dunnum, seconded by Councilman Stamps and failed to pass by the following vote that the matter of a 5% pay increase for the employees not affected by the adjustment recommended in the Personnel Advisory Board's report be referred back to the Board for their advice and suggestions. AYES: 2 Councilmen: Dunnum, Stamps NOES; 3 Councilmen: Peavey, Temple, Giddings ABSENT: 0 Councilmen: None Councilman Peavey suggested the category of the employees not mentioned in the salary adjustment of the Personnel Advisory Board's report be deferred for further study. It was moved by Councilman Peavey, seconded by Councilman Dunnum and passed by the following vote that the salaries of the Department Heads be raised to the rate of pay as read: City Manager $1675. Director of Public Works 1025. City Engineer 950. Director of Planning 800. Director of Bldg. & Safety 800. Police Chief 1025. Fire Chief 1025. City Clerk 700. City Librarian 700. AYES: 5 Councilmen: Peavey, Dunnum, Stamps, Temple, Giddings NOES: 0 Councilmen: None ABSENT: 0 Councilmen: None It was moved by Councilman Peavey, seconded by Councilman Stamps and passed by the following vote that the Council defer for further study the question of what to do with regard to the 62 City employees not covered by action taken at this Council Meeting and that the results of such study and recommendation of the Personnel Advisory Board be brought to an adjourned meeting to be held Tuesday, June 16, 1959, at 8 :00 A.M. in the Council Chambers. AYES: 5 Councilmen: Peavey, Dunnum, Stamps, Temple, Giddings NOES: 0 Councilmen: None ABSENT: 0 Councilmen: None It was moved by Councilman Peavey, seconded by Councilman Dunnum and passed by the following vote to approve the additional employees: 1 - Police Department 3 - Fire Department 8 - Public Works 1 - Building & Safety - 1 - Finance if, as and when needed CQ2, 2 - Library, effective January, 1960 1 - Special Service (Custodian, effective January, 1960 AYES: Councilmen: NOES: Councilmen: ABSENT: Councilmen: Mayor Giddings stated the Police Chief should be advised that he can use the Vice Squad of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department even more than it has been used in the past in view of the fact that additional men the Police Chief had requested were for that type of service. He recommended that the Police Chief be encouraged to use this service as needed. RESOLUTION NO. 436 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY CONGRATULATING PEGGY JACOBSON FOR HAVING RECENTLY RECEIVED THE NATIONAL TITLE OF "MODERN AMERICAN GIRL" The resolution was read by title only. It was moved by Councilman Stamps, seconded by Councilman Peavey and so ordered that further reading be waived. It was moved by Councilman Stamps, seconded by Councilman Peavey and passed by the following vote that Resolution No. 436 be adopted. AYES: Councilmen: NOES: Councilmen: ABSENT: Councilmen: Mr. C. W. "Red" Barrett, Manager of the Chamber of Commerce, presented a copy of the fiscal budget which has been adopted by the Chamber of Commerce, and read the letter which accompanied this budget to the Council. Contained in the letter was a request for the City to appropriate $12,500 to the Chamber of Commerce for publicity and promotion. It was moved by Councilman Stamps, seconded by Councilman Peavey and so ordered that action on the request of the Chamber of Commerce be deferred to the adjourned meeting of the Council to be held Tuesday, June 16th. There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 12 :15 A.M. to 8:00 A.M. Tuesday, June 16, 1959, in the Council Chaqfl�ers of the City Hall. City Cle k Mayo