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07-15-1988 o o o CITY OF EDGEWAT~R SCRE~NING COMMITTEE July 15, 1988 2:00 p.m. CITY HALL MINUTES The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by the Chairman, Thomas Sheridan, in the Conference Room of City Hall. ROLL CALL Members present were: Wallace Trickey, James Bonneville, William Hoffart and Thomas Sheridan. Mr. Fazzone was excused. Mr. Sheridan stated he would like to ask the members, before the start of the meeting, if anyone of the members of the Committee had been contacted by anyone representing the applicant, or the applicant, concerning this interview. The members answered neg- atively, and Mr. Sheridan said the Committee would then proceed. JAMES INMAN Mr. Sheridan introduced Mr. Inman. He then asked Mr. Inman if there was a reason why Mr. Inman had not submitted a resume and Mr. Inman replied he was on the City Council and the union contract for the last three years and stands on his record. He continued on the application, it states "if you so desire" as to resumes, and he does not desire. Mr. Sheridan asked why Mr. Inman was applying for this opening and Mr. Inman said he believes he is well qualified; that he is very familiar with the procedure they use as to what he has to go through with the Council; that he has to get approval of Council as to ~nything he offers as to contracts. He stated last year he was the first one to have all three contracts ratified before the firs of October. Mr. Sheridan asked what Mr. Inman thought about the contracts, were they good, and Mr. Inman said there were some things he did not like about the contract; there were some things that were beneficial; he had talked with the Chief of Police who stated there was a terrific turn-over, problem with the patrol officers, but this is not occurring as of now. He continued it costs the City a lot of money to train a patrol officer; they have to equip them, and everything else. He also added they complimented him on his job. The Committee discussed the fact that cost of living was really 3~% whereas the City received 6% and Mr. Inman replied after comparisons, Edgewater was the lowest paid police department until the raise last year. Mr. Sheridan asked if Mr. Inman, then, followed the instructions of the Council, and Mr. Inman said he cannot go over what the Council says, and Mr. Sheridan asked if he could go under, and Mr. Inman said yes, he could go under, but there are other items discussed in the contract besides salaries, such as clothing, for example. Mr. Sheridan asked if there was a ratio of benefits in proportion to salary and Mr. Inman said a criteria has never been established for that. Mr. Sheridan told the Committee the present ratio is about 27%. Mr. Sheridan then continued the tax rate in the City has increased 24% in two years and asked if Mr. Inman thought some of the Union contracts had some impact on this and whether Mr. Inman believes the contract administration is being handled properly and Mr. Inman answered as to the first question, yes, that is why he would like to negotiate the contract, to keep it as low as possible. As to contract administration, Mr. Inman believes there are some fallacies, for instance, uniforms. He went on to explain this grew to three shirts and two pair of pants, along with two pair of pants from the year before, totalling five pair of pants. He went into quite a discussion as to the ones who wanted the uniforms the most are not wearing them. Mr. Sheridan asked if Mr. Inman thought it was right for the tax payers to pay a clothing allot- ment to clerical and Mr. Inman said you can't treat one without the other. Quite a discussion followed as to uniforms and Mr. Sheridan asked if Mr. Inman had called attention to the Council some of these fallacies and Mr. Inman said that was after negotiations. ~ o Q Mr. Sheridan asked if any member had anything to add and Mr. Trickey said he had served with Mr. Inman on the Police Pension Board and thinks he did a good job. Mr. Bonneville asked if Mr. Inman was approached by anyone from the City, the Mayor, anyone from Council, to present an application to this Committee and Mr. Inman said no, he had not been. Mr. Hoffart asked the background of Mr. Inman and he stated he was in the service for twenty two years and his second career was with the Kennedy Space Center for seventeen years. He said he started out working with the Union and advanced to Management and he could, therefore, understand both sides of the problem. Mr. Hoffartthen asked if Mr. Inman, while at the Space Center, had any input at all in the contracts and Mr. Inman answered yes. Mr. Sheridan asked if Mr. Inman had offered any information to the Edgewater Council concerning irregularities he thought existed and Mr. Inman said he poinredit to their attention; that the Department Heads were contacted and different points were discussed. Mr. Inman stated he kept Council informed of all happenings. Mr. Hoffart asked Mr. Inman if he thought he could negotiate a contract by himself, with- out having to go back to Councilor the City Manager to get more input or did Mr. Inman think the City Manager, who has control of the city budget, finances,!,control. of employees, should be doing the negotiating. Mr. Inman said in his personal opinion, he doesn't think a City Manager is capable of doing it; it depends on whether he is qualified. A discussion continued as to the qualifications and procedures for a negotiator and Mr. Sheridan asked if anyone had anything else to discuss. Mr. Hoffart asked Mr. Inman if he had negotiated any other contracts before and Mr. Inman said no, not as a negotiator but as a member of a tea~. Mr. Sheridan asked if there was anything else and Mr. Trickey said he thought the interview had been discussed pretty well. Mr. Sheridan then thanked Mr. Inman for coming in. The Committee discussed the other applicants who had withdrawn, one who did not live in the City and one who believed the work was too difficult to be non-paying. Mr. Sheridan then asked the Committee to make a decision as to the two applicants, Mr. Inman and Mr. Wargo. Mr. Trickey said he would have to go with Mr. Inman; that he believed there were two very qualified men but one had already been turned down. Mr. Bonneville said he would have to go for Mr. Wargo. Mr. Hoffart said he would have to go for Mr. Wargo, although he thinks he is wasting his time. Mr. Sheridan said he would go with Mr. Wargo, too, as the Committee is here for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to secure the best qualified man. MR. MELBOURNE F. WARGO was selected 3-1 as Negotiator For Collective Bargaining Ag~eements to be recommended to Council, Mr. Trickey voting for Mr. Inman. Mr. Sheridan reminded the Committee there will be a meeting July 19th at 7:00 p.m. to discuss applicants for openings on the Industrial Development Board, the Citizen Code Enforcement Board and the Police Retirement Plan Board of Trustees. Mr. Bonneville asked the secretary to secure the By Laws and Duties of the Police Retirement Plan Board of Trustees, which she agreed to do. There being no further business before the Committee, Mr. Hoffart moved the meeting adjourn, seconded by Mr. Bonneville. The meting adjourned at 2:45 p.m. Minutes submitted by Dorothy C. Garrity, Secretary Screening Committee Minutes of July 15, 1988 Meeting. -2-