Aberdeen City Council held Work Session Thursday

Posted on April 13, 2023 by - Local News

ABERDEEN, S.D.(HubCityRadio)- The Aberdeen City Council on Thursday held a work session.  The topic was a discussion on strategic visioning.  Each of the city department presented their initiatives & priorities for the upcoming budget.  City Manager Joe Gaa offered a response to each one.

Police:

  • 2023 initiatives:  Staff Recruitment/Retention, Staff Training/Education, Efforts to mitigate domestic violence, drug abuse, and mental health concerns, Crime Prevention.

2024/25

  • Hire, Train, and Retain Police Officers
  • Training and Continued Education
  • Extra Duty Assignments
  • Continue Fleet Improvement Plan
  • Staffing Needs

City Manager Review

  • Budget Stability is Key to Public Safety
  • Recruitment and Retention of Officers is a Nationwide Issue
  • Collective Bargaining Negotiations are Every Other Year
  • Continue Fleet Improvement Plan
  • Community Health Response and Resource Officer is Needed

Fire:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Three new FF/Parademic Positions added in 2023, Fill current and upcoming vacancies, Contracted Fire Safety Consultant, Equipment Replacement, New Rescue/Pumper on the way

2024/25 Priorities:

  • Remodels @ Station 1 and 3, Station 4 Planning
  • Continued Significant Equipment Replacement
  • Succession Planning
  • Staffing Needs

City Manager Review:

  • Station 3 Improvements- Coorinate with Airport
  • Planning for Station 4 Should be Sooner than Later
  • Staffing
  • Some Equipment Replacement Planning in Place
  • A new bond should be issued for Station 4 construction & improvements at other stations.

Public Works:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Continued Maintenance/Capital Projects, Develop a Plan for a new Public Works Facility, Continued Design/bidding for an Additional Water Tower, Develop an Asset Management Program.

2024/25 Priorities:

  • Construction of a Public Works Facility
  • Construction of a New Water Tower and Related Infrastructure
  • Construction of N Kline Street Infrastructure
  • Public Works Equipment Fleet Updates
  • Staffing Needs

City Manager Review:

  • Construction of a new Public Works Facility is the most important facility need at the current time.
  • Look at ways to increase the frequency of streets preventative maintenance programs.
  • Continual updating of a 5-year improvement plan for streets and utilities.
  • Succession planning should be inclusive of all Engineering and Public Works Area

Water Treatment:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Update the SCADA system and replace obsolete control system components, replace worn out sludge pumping system, bring on a new maintenace supervisor

2024/25 Priorities

  • Continue to work on developing redundancy in treatment components
  • Clear well/Reservoir replacement and upgrades
  • Staffing

City Manager Review:

  • Continue to maintain systems and make small changes to continue operation of the water plant
  • Planning for the WINS project will resolve long-term issues in water capacity and quality

Wastewater Treatment:

  • 2023 Initiative:  Complete plan and specs for a $57 million upgrade and expansion, Finalize Rate Study Succession Planning

2024/25 Priorities

  • Bid facility upgrades and construction activites
  • Assist existing industrial users with possible expansion needs
  • Assist current employees with training, education, & promotions
  • Staffing

City Manager Review

  • The fruits of our labor in wastewater planning will become visible in the upcoming years
  • Prior to construction beginning in 2024, the City should add a facilities engineer
  • Look at ways to be more efficient in water & wastewater staffing

Planning & Zoning:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Vacant building registration, coordinate with police on code enforcement issues, revise residential inspection forms, minimize variance requirements

2024/25 Priorities

  • Complete an updated housing study
  • Add new Building Inspector
  • Adopt new version of building, plumbing, and property maintenance codes

City Manager Review:

  • Biggest challenge is being proactive & have positive growth without being too forgiving
  • Completing a Housing Study in 2024
  • Looking at some of the ordinances and protocols is on-going and seen as a big need in the community

Airport:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Projects, training & compliance, use of one time federal funding mostly for offsetting operations

2024/25 Priorities

  • General Aviation Ramp Reconstruction Phase 2
  • Continued development of the Marketing Plan
  • Continued upgrade to equipment and operating systems

City Manager Review:

  • The FAA funding through the AIP program is invaluable
  • Non-AIP equipment and vehicles should be part of the overall City Fleet planning process
  • Having Commercial Air Service in Aberdeen is important to Quality of Life and Economic Development
  • One time federal funding during COVID will be coming to an end

Ride Line

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Succession planning for mechanics, planning for equipment replacement and facility needs, balancing demand with the need for additional buses and drivers

2024/25 Priorities:

  • Facility Repairs
  • Additional Buses and Drivers needed to meet demand

City Manager Review:

  • Awaiting new buses has been a new challenge and need for P/T drivers
  • Hear need for additional services while running at capacity now
  • Planning for facility improvements/replacement as part of Public Works facility planning

Library:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Enhanced outreach efforts, cross-training for staff, continue to be a community hub, promoting technology resources

2024/25 Priorities:

  • Increased outreach efforts
  • Sustainable funding for streaming services
  • Educational opportunites for staff
  • Staffing

City Manager Review:

  • The library is a hidden gem, improved communication is essential
  • Programming is evolving
  • Annual increases for material costs, software, and technology

Parks & Rec:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Review fee structures, design a new addition to the Senior Center, design/rebuild Moccasin Creek Softball Complex, Phase 1 of Trail of Nature Park, continue to add camping cabins at Wylie Park, complete Fossum Field Master Plan, golf course drainage improvements

2024/25 Priorities:

  • Playground Replacement Planning
  • Examine possible uses of Civic Arena
  • Update Master Plan for Storybook Land & Wylie Park
  • Develop funding plans for facilities improvements
  • Maintenance of existing facilities
  • Staffing

City Manager Review:

  • Parks & Rec is an important element of Quality of Life in thriving communities
  • Finding outside funding for expansion & addition of Park & Rec facilities is essential
  • Staff turnover in key positions likely in the next few years
  • Facility Maintenance and New Asset Acquisition will be big topics

Finance:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Review/enhance accounting, financial reporting processes, policy manual updates, review banking services, telephone system migration, hardware/software updates

2024/25 Priorities:

  • Agenda & Records Management Software
  • Education and Training of Staff in New Positions
  • Partner with Dakota State for network vulnerability assessment
  • City Council Video Production hardware and software
  • Staffing

City Manager Review:

  • Enhancing Accounting, Financial Reporting Processes and internal Controls
  • Most Finance Office staff are new to the department
  • IT staff of 2 Employees serve 275 users and multiple systems

Human Resources:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Recruitment, training, and retention of new employees, Updating safety manual, On-going training, Prepare any procedural changes for medical marijuana

2024/25 Priorities

  • Employee Benefits Review
  • Utilize more online services
  • 2024 Union Negotiation with police & fire
  • 2024 Property Valuation with SDPAA
  • 2025 Loss Control Survey
  • Staffing

City Manager Review:

  • Maintaining Market Based Compensation and Benefits is Critical
  • Evaluation & Re-scaling of Specific Positions
  • Review & Re-structure Pay Scale
  • Pay and Compensation
  • Does the Risk Management Coordinator belong in HR?

City Attorney:

  • 2023 Initiatives:  Review/Update various ordinances, identify ways to streamline zoning approvals/processes, assist with WINS project development, review/develop policies for use of TIFs

2024/25 Priorities:

  • Implement new document management system
  • Ordinance reviews for simplification and reduction

City Manager Review:

  • City Attorney is an integral part of the upper administration
  • City Attorney-Can we do it?
  • City Manager- Should we do it?
  • Department Heads- How will we do it?

City Manager’s Office

Major Initiatives:

  • Economics Development/Communications
  • WINS Project
  • Community Growth
  • Staffing:  Deputy City Manager

 

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