HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes2018-090 Sponsored by: Bridges
CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2018-090
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD,
ALASKA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO HIRE TERM
EMPLOYEES FOR THE SEWARD POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO ELECT
TO FOREGO HEALTH AND/OR RETIREMENT BENEFITS,AT A HIGHER
HOURLY RATE OF PAY UTILIZING BENEFIT SAVINGS,TO ATTRACT
QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES
WHEREAS,the State of Alaska has reduced its budget,in part,by eliminating State funding
for the law enforcement academy which trains police and correctional officers, shifting the cost of
training to local governments, and making it increasingly more difficult for police departments to
retain a fully trained workforce; and
WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies throughout Alaska are experiencing challenges
recruiting experienced candidates,and some agencies are offering signing bonuses and higher rates
of pay and other incentives to attract candidates who are already trained, away from their present
employers in order to fill positions and avoid the high cost of training; and
WHEREAS,the typical staffing levels for patrol officers for the Seward Police Department
are seven (7) to eight (8) officers (seven (7) in the winter and eight (8) in the summer when the
School Resource Officer is available)working ten(10)hour shifts; and
WHEREAS,it requires a minimum six(6)patrol officers to maintain the ten(10)hour shift
schedule without impacting overtime; and,
WHEREAS, the Seward Police Department experiences vacancies, both temporary and
otherwise,due to military deployments,administrative leave,medical leave,maternity and paternity
leave,retirement, separations and terminations; and
WHEREAS,Seward has and will experience vacancies in its ranks due to the reasons listed,
resulting in significant costs to train new employees,as well as added costs of overtime,employee
burnout and employee morale;and
WHEREAS,on March 28,2017,the Seward City Council approved Resolution 2017-019
and in Section 10,authorized a$5.00 per hour increase in pay for all patrol officers in order to attract
new law enforcement candidates; and
WHEREAS,Seward City Code 3.10.025 authorizes the city manager to periodically review
the classification plan to determine whether it reflects existing conditions, and Seward City Code
3.25.050 authorizes the hiring of Term employees for a period not to exceed two years; and
CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2018-090
WHEREAS,adding flexibility to the hiring of Term employees by allowing them to forego
participation in certain employee benefit plans could provide a significant cost savings,where the
savings could be used to offer a higher hourly rate of pay to attract qualified employees,could be a
means to address the challenges Seward is experiencing in hiring qualified employees to fill
positions; and
WHEREAS,it is the desire of the Seward Police Department to use these term employees to
temporarily fill positions as the recruitment and training of permanent officers takes place or during a
temporary leave for the reasons stated above.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SEWARD,ALASKA that:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Seward,Alaska,authorizes the City Manager to
exercise flexibility in hiring Term employees (Seward City Code 3.25.050) for the Police
Department,at a higher rate of pay than contained in their classification dependent on the candidate's
individual qualifications and experience, and only if the employee elects to forego participation in
certain employee benefit programs and so long as the compensation package for that position
remains within the amount authorized within the budget.
Section 2. It is the intent to use these term employees in order to maintain the standard 10
(hour) shift rotation for a period, per term employee, not to exceed two (2) years per City Code
3.25.050.
Section 3. The City of Seward finds it advisable to hire temporary term employees during
the recruitment and training of new officers and during periods of extended leave thus providing for
the return of the regular City employee without the necessity to terminate a regular replacement
officer or degrade the ability to provide police coverage to the community.
Section 4.This resolution shall take effect immediately upon approval.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Seward, Alaska,this 10th
day of December,2018.
THE CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA
c.
Sue McClure,Vice Mayor
CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2018-090
AYES: Lane,Towsley, Horn, Osenga, McClure
NOES: None
ABSENT: Seese, Squires
ABSTAIN: None
ATTEST:
I61,t,,
'1
Brenda J. Bal o , MC
City Clerk
(City Seal) ,,a+aaa++Aiy`y
• ttkoSEAL
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Sponsored by: J. Bridges
CITY OF SEWARD
RESOLUTION 2018-090
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD,
ALAKSA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO HIRE TERM
EMPLOYEES FOR THE SEWARD POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO
ELECT TO FOREGO HEALTH AND/OR RETIREMENT BENEFITS, AT
A HIGHER HOURLY RATE OF PAY UTILIZING BENEFIT SAVINGS,
TO ATTRACT QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES
WHEREAS, the State of Alaska has reduced its budget in part by eliminating State
funding for the law enforcement academy which trains police and correctional officers, shifting
the cost of training to local governments, and making it increasingly more difficult for police
departments to retain a fully trained workforce; and
WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies throughout Alaska are experiencing challenges
recruiting experienced candidates, and some agencies are offering signing bonuses and higher
rates of pay and other incentives to attract candidates who are already trained, away from their
present employers in order to fill positions and avoid the high cost of training; and
WHEREAS, the typical staffing levels for patrol officers for the Seward Police
Department are seven (7) to eight (8) officers (seven (7) in the winter and eight (8) in the
summer when the School Resource Officer is available) working ten (10) hour shifts; and
WHEREAS, it requires a minimum six (6) patrol officers to maintain the ten (10) hour
shift schedule without impacting overtime; and,
WHEREAS, the Seward Police Department experiences vacancies, both temporary and
otherwise, due to military deployments, administrative leave, medical leave, maternity and
paternity leave, retirement, separations and terminations; and
WHEREAS, Seward has and will experience vacancies in its ranks due to the reasons
listed abovelost a number of excellent employees as a result of the hiring tactics of other
communities, resulting in significant costs to train new employees, as well as added costs of
overtime, employee burnout and employee morale; and
WHEREAS, on March 28, 2017, the Seward City Council approved Resolution 2017-
019 and in Section 10, authorized a $5.00 per hour increase in pay for all patrol officers in order
to attract new law enforcement candidates; and
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WHEREAS, Seward City Code 3.10.025 authorizes the city manager to periodically
review the classification plan to determine whether it reflects existing conditions, and Seward
City Code 3.25.050 authorizes the hiring of Term employees for a period not to exceed two
years; and
WHEREAS, adding flexibility to the hiring of Term employees by allowing them to
forego participation in certain employee benefit plans could provide a significant cost savings,
where the savings could be used to offer a higher hourly rate of pay to attract qualified
employees, could be a means to address the challenges Seward is experiencing in hiring qualified
employees to fill positions.; and,
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Seward Police Department to use these term
employees to temporarily fill positions as the recruitment and training of permanent officers
takes place or during a temporary leave for the reasons stated above.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, that:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Seward, Alaska, authorizes the City Manager
to exercise flexibility in hiring Term employees (Seward City Code 3.25.050) for the Police
Department, at a higher rate of pay than contained in their classification dependent on the
candidate’s individual qualifications and experience, and only if the employee elects to forego
participation in certain employee benefit programs and so long as the compensation package for
that position remains within the amount authorized within the budget.
Section 2. It is the intent to use these term employees in order to maintain the standard
10 (hour) shift rotation for a period, per term employee, not to exceed two (2) years per City
Code 3.25.050.
Section 3. The City of Seward finds it advisable to hire temporary term employees
during the recruitment and training of new officers and during periods of extended leave thus
providing for the return of the regular City employee without the necessity to terminate a regular
replacement officer or degrade the ability to provide police coverage to the community.
Section 42. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Seward, Alaska, this
2610th day of November December, 2018.
THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
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