ITEM: 12.1 ADMINISTRATION - Jane Cross, City Clerk
Title
RECORDING SECRETARY SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR 2013
Background
TimeSaver Off-site Secretarial Service (TOSS) has been recording minutes for the city council meetings on a regular basis since July 1993.
In 2000 a Recording Secretary Service Agreement was signed and each year thereafter an addendum to the agreement has been submitted to the city for Council approval and the City Manager's signature.
In 2007 staff put out a Request for Proposals for recording secretary services and TOSS was the only proposal received out of 17 contacts. In May 2007 a new Recording Secretary Service Agreement was approved by the City Council for summary minutes and Council has authorized the services of TOSS since then.
In early December, staff sent out a survey on the clerk/administrators list serve and received 23 responses from various size cities. Staff is aware of more cities that utilize TOSS than responded to the survey but are not active on the list serve. However, those cities that did respond, the majority of the larger cities used TOSS for their minutes while the majority of smaller cities used in-house administrative assistants, executive coordinator, city clerk, deputy clerk and clerical staff. A couple of cities contracted with an individual to record their minutes. Past surveys staff conducted revealed that smaller cities have less council meetings and/or workshops per month than the larger cities and overall they have fewer boards and commissions.
One small city (pop. 7,411) staff surveyed contracted an individual for their council minutes but that individual charged $165 up to one hour (which is more than TOSS), $187 up to two hours, $220 up to 3 hours, $253 up to 4 hours and $33 for each individual ½ hour thereafter. They did not offer a backup recording secretary in the event they could not attend a meeting so there are times if falls back on a staff person of their city.
Another small city (pop. 11,707) contracted with an individual (a former city clerk and administrator by profession) to do their council minutes. They have since found the quality of the minutes has diminished, the individual contractor is a resident of that city so there were delicate situations at times, and the turnaround time has become an issue. This individual also did not have a backup recording secretary so when she is ill or on vacation, the city staff must step in and it has caused additional expenses to the city in overtime and timeliness in getting regular duties done.
One metro city (pop. 25,000) has an outside contractor who does their council minutes via DVD and packets (two meetings per month) but she attends the workshop (one per month).
The attached Addendum reflects the rates for 2013 which reflects an increase of less than 2.25%. TOSS has not increased rates since 2008 so if averaged over four years it is about a 0.56% increase per year. If this addendum is approved, it will then become part of the original contract entered into in May 2007. The May 2007 contract contains a clause that allows either party to cancel this Service Agreement with or without cause upon thirty (30) days written notice.
Currently, TOSS is recording minutes at all city council meetings, workshops, EDA meetings, Planning Commission, Park Advisory Board, Special Board of Review, and the Natural Resources Conservation Board meetings. In addition TOSS covers special workshops and special Council meetings as needed.
The Addendum reflects their fees for recording services and extends the expiration date to December 31, 2013.
Recommendation
By motion, authorize City Manager to enter into a Contract with TimeSaver Off-site Secretarial Service for Recording Secretary Services for 2013.