Two major issues of interest before the Edmonds City Council Tuesday night: The first is a proposal to reorganize the City’s Human Resources Department, which includes promoting Human Resource Analyst Mary Ann Hardie to the permanent job of Human Resource Manager. And the second is an “exploratory discussion” of a Metropolitan Park District.

Hardie has been managing the HR department since ex-Mayor Mike Cooper fired HR Director Debi Humann last September. She has received some assistance from Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Carrie Hite. The City Council eliminated the HR Director position altogether in November and approved a reorganization proposal from Earling in February that included creating a permanent HR manager job.

The request by Mayor Dave Earling is to officially reclassify the HR analyst job as an HR manager, essentially eliminating the analyst position. The cost for the remainder of the year is the difference between the two salaries, and the HR manager position will be included as part of the budget process for 2013. Earling is also asking the Council to add a new chapter to the City Code allowing for “special duty pay”  whenever the Mayor assigns managers and directors duties outside their normal scope of work.

The Metropolitan Park District discussion comes at a time that Edmonds — along with other cities and counties — seeks alternative funding sources to meet park and recreation demand.  A Metropolitan Park District ( MPD ) would be a voter-approved tax for the management, control, improvement, maintenance and acquisition of parks and recreational facilities. It can be proposed by local government resolution or citizen petition, and requires a simple majority of votes to become law.

Also on the council agenda:

– A proposal by the Department of Public Works to purchase one new Elgin J Crosswind regenerative air street sweeper  for $251,762 minus a trade-in allowance of $25,000. The city’s current street sweeper is a 2001 model  that has exceeded its projected seven-year life cycle by four years. The new one is more fuel efficient and will do a better job of capturing dust particulates.

– an executive session, starting at 5:30 p.m., regarding labor negotiations and potential litigation.

The regular Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Public Safety Complex, 250 5th Ave. N.