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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-13-2020 Council Work Session Packet Council Work Session Monday, April 13, 2020 5:00 P.M. Orono Council Chambers, 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 Orono City Council Work Sessions are Open to the Public The Orono Council Work Session is open to the public. To participate in this Work Session please follow the instructions below: Please register to participate in the April 13, 2020 Orono City Council Work Session. The Work Session begins at 5:00 P.M. at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/regist er/761587030691997966 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Brought to you by GoToWebinar® Webinars Made Easy® Meeting Participation Instructions for Applicants and the Public can be found at: https://www.ci.orono.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/2255/Instructions-for-Orono-Public- Meetings-Held-Electronically WORK SESSION AGENDA 1. COVID-19 Update 2. Staffing Discussion Annual Discussions Timeframe:  Budget: Part of June, All of July, August and October. Council Work Session Monday, April 13, 2020 5:00 P.M. Orono Council Chambers, 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 Orono City Council Work Sessions are Open to the Public  City Administrator & Police Chief Update (3 times per year for 15 minutes) March 9, 2020  Interview Planning Commissioner Candidates February 24, 2020  Interview Park Commissioner Candidates February 10, 2020  Maintenance of Three Rivers Park District Trails  LA19-000063 – City of Orono Text Amendment Related to Special Events 1 Orono Police Department Memo To: City Administrator Dustin Rief From: Police Chief Correy Farniok Date April 8, 2020 Re: COVID Update – Police Department As of the date of this memo, the state of MN is doing very well with the spread of COVID 19 and with flattening the curve. The police department continues to get multiple calls daily on potential violations of social distancing and gathering prohibited in the Emergency Orders issued by the Governor. We are encouraging and educating people reference the “Stay at home” orders. We are also advising people not to call 9-1-1 with individuals that may be in violation. Dispatchers at times are overwhelmed with these type of calls and want to keep lines available for emergency calls. Overall the calls for service and traffic stops are down for our department and throughout Hennepin County. We are seeing our domestics, mental health, and suspicious activity calls are on a slight increase. In the past week we have seen impaired drivers also increase. In the last 3 days (Sunday-Tuesday) we had three arrested for suspicion of impaired driving one at .35 BAC, .25 BAC and heroin (waiting for results of blood test). People throughout our community and MN are to shelter in place per the Governors Emergency Executive Order # 20-20 and are encouraged to work from home when possible. Office staff are working 10 hour shifts and one day from home, so both are not working together every day. Our Office Manager is working from home and coming in after normal hours and on weekends to reduce the risk. Police officers and other first responders do not have the option to work from home. In attempt to slow the possible spread, we have adjusted schedules of some of the police officers to eliminate cross contamination between shifts. Patrol are all on 12 hours shifts. Investigators hours have been adjusted to 10 hour shifts. Orono police officers continue to respond to calls for assistance and many times are going into homes, facilities that may have COVID 19. Officers and other first responders have not dealt with a pandemic at this level. Officers by nature are on the frontline ready answer calls in the community and risk their life and safety in order to respond to the needs and protect the community. However, we didn’t ever think that going home from work could put our family’s  Page 2 health as risk. With COVID 19 that now has changed, not only are the officers more at risk, but also their families. Several police departments have changed schedules and are scheduling officers to stay at home for 20-40 hours per pay period. They are still available to be called back into work. Not sure if I can support paying officers to stay at home and be paid. This has several concerns, one being how we ensure that the officers are actually staying at home and not going out and possibly getting exposed. Per North Memorial all of their paramedics thus far that have contracted COVID 19 have done so while being at home or on their days off. This program would be difficult to monitor and ensure that they are staying at home. Please consider a program similar to several companies have implemented as well as the University of MN police department that are giving employees increased pay during this time, I would like to propose an increase pay for all full-time sworn officers and the Community Service Officer position of $100 -$150 per week as COVID 19 pay. (University of MN gave a $2.00 per hour increase to police, first responders, medical personnel, etc.). Having a flat rate would not have impact on overtime and would not apply to those employees working from home. I would recommend that this pay increase would be only during the time that we are under a shelter in place order by the Governor that begun on March 28, 2020 through May 4, 2020. Cost for the $100 per week increase would be approximately $2700 per week This COVID 19 pay increase will be funded through the Police Capital Outlay Fund of the police budget.