072604l Liquor Comm AgP
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CITY OF SHOREWOOD
Conference Room
5755 Country Club Road
LIQUOR COMMITTEE MEETING
MONDAY, JULY 26, 2004
6:00 PM
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AGENDA
1. LIQUOR MARKETING STUDY - PRESENTATION BY LEN SAGE,
DAKOTA WORLDWIDE CORPORATION
2. LIQUOR MANAGER 2003 PERFORMANCE PAY
3. OTHER
4. ADJOURN
A majority of the City Council members may be present at this meeting.
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CITY OF
SHOREWOOD
5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD. SHOREWOOD, MINNESOTA 55331-8927. (952) 474-3236
. FAX (952) 474-0128. www.cLshorewood.mn.us · cityhall@cLshorewood.mn.us
MEMORANDUM
Date:
July 22,2004
To:
Liquor Committee Members
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From:
\ Bonnie Burton, Finance Directorffreasurer
Re;
Liquor Marketing Study
Attached for your review is a copy of the recent Liquor Marketing Study that was
recently conducted by Dakota Worldwide Corporation to determine the feasibility of
opening a third liquor store in Shorewood.
. Len Sage, of Dakota Worldwide Corporation will beat the July 26 Liquor Committee
meeting to present the results of the recent liquor marketing study.
o PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
#1
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CITY OF
SHOREWOOD
5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD. SHOREWOOD. MINNESOTA 55331-8927. (952) 474-3236
FAX (952) 474-0128 . www.cLshorewood.mn.us. cityhall@cLshorewood.mn.us
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Liquor Committee
Craig W. Dawson, City Administrator 111\
July 22, 2004 (IV
2003 Performance Pay for Liquor Operations Manager
I have had some opportunity to discuss with Don Swandby the appropriate amount of performance
pay for 2003. As the Committee reviewed and "provided some interpretation on the performance
criteria at its last meeting, I believe that Mr; Swandby has earned $4,000 in performance pay for
. operating a two-store system in 2003. He has been able to earn as much as $5,000 for a three-store
operation in past years, and believes that he should be < able to earn that amount regardless of the size
of the City's operation. As of this writing, we had not concluded our discussions.
Understandably, the year 2003 presented several challenges, including the lack of an anchor grocery
store at the Shorewood Village Shopping Center, creating a new store within the Shorewood Village
Shopping Center, and a reduction in sales without a comparable reduction in fixed expenses. While
we were pleased to have had any net profit from the system under these circumstan<?es, it should not
be a reward not to lose money - this should be a minimum expectation.
One set in the performance criteria which has been consistent from year to year is system-wide profit,
with $500 paid to achieve $70,000, $100,000, and $130,000. While these figures are based on a
three-store system, they could be reduced by simple math to $46,000, $67,000, and $86,000 for a
two-store system. None of these levels was reached during 2003. I devised an alternate set of criteria
for 2003 which would be challenging yet attainable: gains in gross sales for the two full months--
November and December--the new Shorewood Village store was open compared to those.same
months in 2001 (as there was an anchor grocery store open at both of these times). $500 increments
would be achievable for gross sales that were 10%,20%, "and 25% greater in 2003 than 2001. Gross
sales ended up 24% greater over the comparable periods.
If the system-wide profit criteria were removed, the criteria used for Mr. Swandby could yield
$4,500. In prior years, and with three stores, he has been eligible for $5,000.
Based on the foregoing. I believe that the criteria for 2003 were fair and that Mr. Swandbv has earned
$4.000 in performance pay for the year. If the Committee believes that Mr. Swandby should be
eligible for $5,000,1 would suggest the criteria for per-store profit margins and per-store wine sales
be increased $125 each (to $625). Mr. Swandby would then earn an additional $500, for a total of
$4,500 in performance pay, for 2003.
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~.1 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
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2003 Liquor Performance Pay
July 26, 2004, Liquor Committee Meeting
Page Two
Basis for Compensation: Regarding compensation for 2004 and beyond, I would like to discontinue
the use of performance pay and increase the salary schedule for the Liquor Operations Manager.
Among the reasons are:
. The performance pay system was seen as appropriate when the Manager was hired in 1999.
There was a general concern that the system would yield positive financial results. A higher
base salary could burden the system in achieving those results. Performance pay would
protect the financial position of the liquor operations, and funds would be available for with
higher levels of performance.
. The system is performing solidly, and can support a higher base salary.
. There remains an incentive for positive results, as negative results threaten the viability of,
andjobs in, the City's Liquor Operations.
. The vagaries of appropriate performance criteria from year to year would be removed.
. The Attorney General's Office has issued several opinions about the legality of performance
or bonus pay in general. While they are not thoroughly consistent, they do not provide a
clear-cut answer whether it is a valid expenditure of public funds. In light of the opinions
written, staff at the League of Minnesota Cities advises that the AG is consistent in its belief
that such compensation should not come out of liquor operations profits.
. An increase of approximately $4,000 in base salary of the Liquor Operations Manager would
place it in the middle of the range of the comparable group of cities in the Twin Cities salary
survey. With one exception, no other city in Stanton Group 7 has performance pay for this
position.
If the Committee believes this approach has merit, I would like to do some more research regarding
salary information. If the Committee, and ultimately the City Council, decides that the salary
adjustment in lieu of performance pay should be done for 2004, then the adjustment should be
retroactive to January 1,2004.
Mr. Swandby has suggested performance criteria for 2004. In a brief review, I am in general
agreement with them, but would want to develop them further before presenting,them to the
Committee.