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<br />to have a full-time engineering department on staff than it currently is to utilize MSA. <br />Obviously, for the extra costs the City would receive the benefit of having full-time staff <br />available. However, for this service there would certainly be an increased cost to the City's <br />general fund to provide these engineering services. <br /> <br />With using consulting engineers, the City has control over the use of outside technical <br />professionals without having to hire a full-time staff. The issue relates to the City being able <br />to buy what it needs, when it needs it. This relates to items addressed earlier, including <br />fluctuations in seasonal workloads, timing for required services, and level of technical <br />expenence necessary. <br /> <br />In summary, I believe it is appropriate for the City of Elk River to consider a full-time city <br />engineer and possibly an engineering technician in the next 5-10 years when the population <br />of the community reaches the 15,000 to 20,000 range. Again, the city engineer and <br />technician could perform the functions as outlined. It should be cl~ly understood that the <br />cost for these positions would not be offset by charges against developers and public projects. <br />Significant costs would have to be absorbed by the City's general fund. I am convinced that <br />with full-time staff, costs now charged directly to developers for meetings with the engineer <br />would, in many cases, be "lost in the shuffle" and would become part of the normal <br />administrative services provided by City staff. <br /> <br />If you have questions regarding this information, please contact me. I would be happy to <br />meet with you to discuss any of these issues further. <br /> <br />SDG:tp <br /> <br />230/000-3001.mar <br />