TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES
AND ALSO THE WORK OF VICTORIA
Councilmembers approved an em-ployment agreement/contract with City Administrator Steve Sarvi on October 25^th and they also approved a recommendation from the Personnel Committee to allow Steve to carry over into 2008 more than the allowed maximum of 80 hours of accrued vacation time.
The Personnel Committee is, in fact, a mini-City Council as its membership is Mayor Mary Thun and Councilmember Kim Roden plus the city administrator.
The Personnel Committee agreed that a workable option to help decrease accrued vacation time of the city adminis-trator is to give him Monday mornings and Friday afternoons off.  While Steve Sarvi has been serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, he was not able to use his vacation time as an employee of the City of Victoria so it has built up to 338 hours.
Stated Councilmember Jim Paulsen, "I'm keenly aware of the workload of the council and staff at this time ... We are recovering from his loss.  Sooner or later I'd like someone on board 100%." 
Stated Councilmember Roden, "Our goal was to get a large vacation buildup down to a more balanced number, to dis-pense of the accrual in a balanced way.  Steve's answer is that the workload will be met."
Stated Mayor Mary Thun, "Steve has requested Monday mornings and Friday afternoons off, but said he would be avail-able to us."
Said Steve, "If we found it was not working, we'd made another adjustment."
Asked Councilmember Richard Tied-en, "What other options did you look at to handle this situation?"
Replied Steve, "We looked at carry-ing it straight over."
"The hours are essentially money," said Councilmember Tieden.  "One alter-native is buying out the hours.  I think a 20% reduction in his time here is signifi-cant.  I agree with Jim.  Is that a possibili-ty?"
Replied Steve,"I would prefer not to cash it out but use it as vacation ... I've certainly put in my time since I've been back."  He came back in September.
Referring to the employment contract Councilmember Tieden said, "We've got this lengthy document that says all what you're going to do when you get home [from Iraq], and I'm surprised at this 20% reduction in hours.  We've got a lot of work to do."
Councilmember Amundsen asked Steve, "This accrual of vacation hours was not requested by you, right?"
Acknowledging that the city supple-mented Steve's army salary and benefits while he was deployed to Afghanistan and then Iraq, Tim continued, "These things were done at the request of the past Coun-cil.  Steve did not create this situation.  To my knowledge he hasn't missed one hour of work since he's been back.  I believe people are entitled the courtesy of waiting to see how this flushes out ... Steve being treated well was the decision of a five-member body, not Steve.  Mr. Sarvi is try-ing to do his job."
Stated Mayor Thun, "The Personnel Committee looks at accrual of vacation time every year.  When the Personnel Committee talked to Steve, we asked him about this.  I probably talk to Steve more than anybody else in this entire room.  If anybody is implying that we're doing this for any other reason, they are absolutely wrong ... I don't have any concerns.  We're rolling along.  I know Steve.  I think he will come to me if there's a prob-lem.  My work with Steve has been nothing but exemplary."
Stated Councilmember Paulsen, "I think we should confine ourselves to the work."  Council voted 5-0 to allow the accrued vacation time for the city admin-istrator, and also 149 hours for Corey Martin at the Victoria Field House, to move into 2008.

Keith Geske, a resident in the audi-ence during this meeting, spoke at the podium to the issue and to the council.  "I've talked to several of you on the phone," he said.  "We've been very gracious to Steve Sarvi.  By law, we didn't have to do that ... I'm getting tired of playing Santa Claus.  I don't think vacation time should have been accumu-lating while he was gone ... and now he has political aspirations.  You can't tell me he can run for national office and still put in full time here for us.  A lot of people have talked to me.  People out there are not happy."
Stated City Attorney Mike Norton about the vacation time, "It's not mandatory, but we're asked to consider it.  It's a small token of our appreciation.  It wasn't a gift.  He was lawfully entitled to it."  He added, "A public employee has a statutory right to run for public office."
Stated Councilmember Roden, "I have a full time job and I ran for office."
Stated Mayor Thun, "If it comes to pass, we are not precluded from revisiting this situation."
Said Tim, "Some people in the ser-vice are living just above the poverty level.  Being on duty is not a get rich quick thing."

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