January 31,2001

A special Committee met in session on January 30, 2001 at 7:45 p.m. with the following members present Mayor Harold Ludwig, Council Steve Griesbaum, Tim Rossiter and Mike Lowe. Also present at this meeting was Ron Powers and Andy Ayers. The floor was open for discussion on a City Administrator form of government. Asst City Clerk Gunsauls handed out copies of City Ordinance from Pleasant Hill and Chillicothe for duties of a City Clerk. Rossiter handed out copies of a City Ordinance from Vandalia for the duties of the City Clerk and City Administrator. Rossiter stated Vandalia's City Ordinance are basically the same as the others we have. Rossiter stated he went to Vandalia and talked to their City Clerk about what her duties were and the duties of the City Administrator. Rossiter stated he also talked to them about what kind of grants are available. He stated the City Clerk from Vandalia said you can get a grant for a city vehicle and it is used by any city official and not just the Administrator. Griesbaum stated he has been reading over some of the ordinances and the one from Pleasant Hill shows they have an Asst Executive Administrator. Does this mean if we decided to get an Administrator we would need to get an Asst. Mayor Ludwig stated we don't need to follow everything that other cities have. Like Mr. Sheets stated things can be changed because they aren't written in stone. Rossiter stated according the ordinances he has read, for the Administrator he would change, some of them because the City Clerk can do the duties. I think we need to write up a City Ordinance for the City Clerk. Mayor Ludwig stated we already have one. The Committee discussed many of the Ordinances for the Administrator. Mayor Ludwig suggested the Committee look over the Ordinances they received from the other Cities, write down the ones they think the Administrator duties should be and what qualifications they should have. Griesbaum stated he sees where an Administrator can do good for the City budget. Lowe stated the City Administrator would have more rime to work on the City budget and it could cut the finance committee meetings in half. Mayor Ludwig stated it would take a load off of the City Clerk. Griesbaum asked if there would be a need to have committee's if you get an Administrator. Rossiter stated Vandalia still has two City Council member on a committee. Rossiter stated he asked the Administrator from Vandalia if there were grants for sewer and water and she said there is. Mayor Ludwig stated to be able to get a grant for sewer you need to meet there requirements. Rossiter stated there is even grants for sidewalks. Rossiter stated the way he looks at it he thinks the salary for the City Administrator should be about $45,000.00 a year plus benefits. Rossiter stated Vandalia went through a lot of Administrators when they first started and each one had different ideas. Griesbaum stated he thinks a retired government employee would be great for the job. Mayor Ludwig asked if they are going to want someone local for the job. Rossiter stated a lot of times you will get someone who wants to get out of the big city to apply for the job. Rossiter stated he goes through Palmyra everyday and he is watching it grow. Griesbaum stated we don't have Doc Hinds donating land to LaGrange like he does for Palmyra. Rossiter stated he knows the treatment plant is our number one priority but he would like to see us get an Administrator in here within three to four months after the Casino opens. Rossiter stated he thinks the Mayor is right, we need to go over these ordinances and see which parts we feel the Administrators duties and what his qualifications would be for the job. Griesbaum asked if we should meet once a week or every other. Rossiter stated he feels we should meet once a week. Rossiter stated he is not sure if he should do this or not but he asked what Andy Ayers and Ron Powers thinks since they are citizens of LaGrange. Ayers stated he is in favor for a Administrator and Powers stated he feels it shouldn't be someone local. Rossiter stated he doesn't know how a City Ordinance is written. Mayor Ludwig stated what you do is write what you feel should be in it and our Attorney Russ Kruse writes it up. Rossiter stated he doesn't want to go through a lot of Administrators but he knows it is going to happen. Ayers stated not unless you put in their contract they have to stay with the City for a certain amount of time. Griesbaum stated we will meet next Tuesday night February 06, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. Rossiter motioned to adjourn. Lowe second the motion.