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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 08/06/197077 MINUTES OF -MEETING OF.CITY COUNCIL -- PETALUMA,.. CALIFORNIA . .- August 6, '1970 .. Council Meeting Special meeting of...the Council of the City of . Petaluma- was. called to order by Mayor- Putnam at ,the hour of 7:00 o -' clock p-.m. . Attendance Present: Councilmen-Battaglia, Brainerd' Brunner; Cavanagh, Jr., Joerger, Mattei, and Mayor Putnam. Absent None. Notice of Notice of..special meeting.ca.11ed for Aug - the Call ust 6, 1970; Certificate of the City Clerk of.. the delivery 'of `said notice; and, the consent of the me.mbers,present of•the,hold- ing of: -.said meeting, submitted and filed. Pledge of The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by Allegiance everyone present. Notice of ..Mayor Putnam read the,Notice of the Call the Call of.the special meeting which stated as .follows., "To-heat the request of the Petaluma Police Officers' Association ._in- an•attempt to resolve the impasse situation between the City of Petaluma and the Petaluma Police Officers' Asso= ciation ". Petaluma Police As-an introduction to the problem of the. Officers' Assn,. impasse between' the:City of Petaluma and Request re Salaries the Petaluma Police Association, & Fringe Benefits Mayor Putnam stated that 'negotiations have been carried on in a framework of a nego- tiation procedure with City Manager•Robert Meyer representing the City of'Petaluma and _At.torney: James,- F. Kemp-representing the Petaluma Police officers' Association. In_ reviewing the - City's position to date, Mayor Putnam.read the status. report dated-August 6, 1970, a copy of'which was submitted and filed. The status re- port indicated :. , 1. That the City will pay a minimum of three._(3)� :hours .for all off -duty court .time.. Z. The City.Manager has agreed to make a- ,study the present rules and reg -, :ulations- _covering annual vacation leave, sick leave, holidays, and will investigate.a City educational incen- tive plan,.:all-_for the. con- sideration for the 19,71_ -72 fiscal year; this to be done by' means of consultation with all- .emplo.yee units as now ..es;tab- lished•. 3.• _:No agreement was..reached on the wage :: _.,offers:. August 6, 1970 L� Petaluma Police Officers' Assn. Request re Salaries & Fringe Benefits (continued) Mr. James'F.'.Kemp, attorney representing the Petaluma Police Officers' Association, appeared before the Council to discuss. the position of the Association relative to salary and fringe benefits for the'197.0 71 fiscal year.as summarized.in his letter,. dated August 4, 1970, to Mr. Robert Meyer. Said letter submitted and filed.' The requests are as follows: 1. Fifteen percent increase in salaries. 2. Minimum of three hours court time. 3. Eleven paid holidays. 4. A pay of five percent for night shifts. As a basis of comparison-of salaries, Mr. Kemp selected Santa Rosa, Novato and ,S`An. Rafael and recommended to the.Counc.il that these three cities be used as 'a favorable comparison rather than the.City of Napa. as selected-by the City Manager. -Mr. Kemp declared. that . the City has , the fin- ancial ability t66`meet the police demands - as the'City has -lor the past few years accumulated surplus. He further'noted. that in a survey of 21 cities,.Petaluma ranked 19th`in per capita expenditure .for police; 18th in percentage of total revenue expended for police protection, - and 7th ih capita revenue.. Mayor Putnam at time read.a recom mendatiori, dated August 6, 1970, from City,Manager Meyer proposing the foll.owing.increases and.be.nefits 1. Commencing August 1, 1970, the,fol:low- ing ranges will be established: Classification Class Range Police Sergeant' Juvenile , Officer (Sergeant) 65A 792 - 831 -873- 1 916 =963 65A 792- 831 -87s- 916 -963 Police Officer Dispatcher /Clerk 60A 702 - 736 = 773 - 8,11 -852 49A 537 -564- 591 =621 -652 Parking Meter.En- forcement'Officer 49A 537- 564 - 591 - 621 -652 Animal Control - Officer' ' '.51 556 - 584 - 6.13 - 644 -6'76 2. The City will pay a minimum of three (3) hours for off -duty court time.,' 3. That the City Manager be aut_horize`d. to carry out a study.of'the present rules' and "regulations . covering, annual 1 1 1 B •fi! August 6, 1970 Petaluma Police vacation leave,,.sick - leave, holidays, - ?' c 1 Officers Assn" and.a pity educational.incentive plan, Request.re Salaries all for -the Council's consideration & Fringe Benefits far -- the ,1971- 72'fiscal year. This (continued) will be done•by­. means of consultation with all employee units as now estab- l is h•e d Copy of-- said,.recommendation'submitted• and filed - . City"Manager - Robert Meyer then re- viewed the history of increases for Police Officers s "irice' July'; 1964, and the number of fringe benefits furnished in recent years He - `explained that the City of Napa was selected as a comparable city on the bas - is bf its "population, tax base and income, 'and he pointed out the reasons why Santa Rosa, San`Rafael and Novato are not comparable'to Petaluma. The City's fiscal position was reviewed by Mr. Meyer, and'he noted'that in considering. any re- ques.ts for` salary "increases, the impact upon the whole municipal structure.must be recogn - ized as thb..City cannot empha- size Police ignore all other employees: Mr. Meyer disputed Mr. Kemp's understanding of accumulated.surpluses and asked that the Police Officers' Associa- tion engage, an accountant to review the City's'financ al position. He pointed out that._.t'he "City cannot expect a surplus and budgets are_not predicated on creating a surplus.�'''Upoh - * conclusion of facts.pre- sented.b Mr' Meyer and a discussion there- on,-'a motion was by Councilman Mattei and seconded.by Councilman Cavanagh, Jr., adopting- the recommendation dated August'6 1970. Motion carried unanimously._ Mr Kemp•requested a recess.be declared so Police Officers' Association could meet'and'consder the Council's action. Mayor Putnam declared a recess at 8:15 "o'clock p.m. The meeting recon- vened at" d:50 •o'clock p.m. Mr. Kemp stated _that at the-Petaluma Police Officers''Association meeting a resolution was.adopted by the member - ship to 'accept s t ten percent.(10o) salary increase effective August 1, 1970..and an additional five percent (50) effec- tive January to defer the ques- tion.of"holidays for further study and consideration in 1971 -72 fiscal year, to drop its request for pay differen- tial for the night shift for consider- .ation in' fii"ture years, and in the event . the Council is unwilling to accept the bifurcated pay increase, the Police Officers' Association -would then pro - ceed with the action previously voted and announced to the public. Mr. Kemp so August 6, 197 0 Petaluma Police stated:- that_he did•not have the formal Officers' Assn, resolution iaith`him.of the action adopted. Request re salaries (The press carried an announcement that / & Fringe Benefits the Police'Off_icers' Association met On (continued) July 3lst:and voted to go on strike on _ Friday; August - 7,_1970, at 88:00 -p.m. iff its demand - for_ higher wages was not met. In response`'to Council question regarding the procedure to follow at point, CityfAttorney Robert offered -a suggestion that the Police`Off cers' Association and the"City l .:_consider the use of med- iatiori.as provided' the Government Code covering;Employe'r- Employee relations. ;Mr: - Kemp st 'ated that the Association did express support of''mediation if a resol- ution were ,adopted guaranteeing pay in- :creases retr_oddtive'to July lst'or August. `1st'; 1'970. " City Attorney Robert.-doubted. the,..legality a resolution. Mr.: K then restated: the Police Officers.' Association demand_s'as voted upon by its re solut`io'n: Those wYio 'spoke. In support of the Police, Officers' Association were: Wayne Diggs,_ 1716` 'Kearny Street John_Felli, 29 Huntington way.. Mrs;:, Norene Campbell, 615' "I" Street Duane.,.Thul,;'1709 Claremont Court. - Larry ,Forney; ...;106,'Washington Street _Neal _ : 531 Virginia Drive Mayor that from the com -_ mOnts'' heard; _thbr-.e was a strong indication favoring a tax inc -rease to provide higher salaries:' she added - that this . is 'a matter that might :be.- .,explored. Mr. Lyles_ Hood, . � 3 6 0 Grant Avenue spoke "in . "support thee Council's action. At the conclusion of the meeting, ,City Manager`Robert Meyer stated that the law does not prov" e for a strike of this nature.,_.although th.e City has been.threa 'dhed , with -. such' action . He assured ,the citizens that there -will be men on duty to provide protection for the City. Adjournment. There being no further business to come before the Council,_the meeting was 'ad- jourred 9:.25 o'clock p.m.