Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, January 23, 2017 <br />7:00 o'clock p.m. <br />7. SENIOR PLANNER RECRUITMENT (continued) <br />Walsh stated he does not have a problem with hiring a consultant to do the Comprehensive Plan update. <br />Walsh asked whether the City is eligible for any grants through the Metropolitan Council. <br />Barnhart stated Orono is not eligible for those. <br />Crosby asked what the salary would be for the new employee. <br />Barnhart indicated the current salary for a city planner is $60,651 with a top rate of $75,000. Barnhart <br />stated in his view there is an opportunity to look at restructuring of the department but that it likely will <br />be on the front end more so than the planning department. <br />Printup stated his comfort level is not filling the position right now but that he would be interested in <br />looking at restructuring and then revisiting it. Printup stated he is not interested in a replacement at this <br />time. <br />Seals stated she would like to know where Staff feels there are issues so the City can investigate and <br />spend time looking at those. Seals stated what she heard during the code committee meeting is that there <br />are lots of cities that are doing it with less for a multitude of reasons. Seals stated she was wondering if <br />the City were able to put some of those in place, whether that might free up some time for the planning <br />staff. <br />Seals stated she understands it will take some work to get there but that she does not like to hire someone <br />who might have to be let go in six to nine months. Seals stated she would like to simplify and streamline <br />things. <br />Crosby stated if the process can be streamlined, that would be preferable, but that he also does not want to <br />handcuff Staff and make them feel completely overburdened. <br />Barnhart stated he understands the City is a user of public money and that they try to do it as responsibly <br />as possible. Barnhart stated the City has a number of services they have to provide and there are certain <br />resources that are necessary to provide those services. <br />Barnhart indicated he put together a summary sheet for the Planning Commission which shows that in <br />2016, the City received 103 new applications. In June the City received eight. Barnhart noted Staff <br />stopped doing zoning code amendments in May because Staff did not have time to do those due to the <br />number of applications that came in. There were 14 new applications in May. Barnhart stated it is hard <br />for two people to do a thorough review of that many applications and get it right. Barnhart noted if the <br />position is not filled, he and the planner would each have to take seven applications in that month, which <br />will result in applications being tabled. Barnhart stated three to four applications is the maximum in a <br />month each planner can handle. <br />Barnhart stated the expectation of a single planner doing seven applications in any given month, in <br />addition to the Comprehensive Plan update, is not realistic. Barnhart noted he would still need to help <br />with the Comprehensive Plan update even if the City retains a consultant. Barnhart stated he hopes to <br />improve the process but that currently some of their call backs are two to three days later. <br />Page 10 of 15 <br />