PERSONNEL
COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
A regular meeting of the Chippewa County Board of
Commissioners’ Personnel Committee was held on Monday, May 3, 2004 at the
Chippewa County Courthouse in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Chairperson Dale called the meeting to
order at 5:10 p.m. with a quorum present.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Rita Dale,
Chairperson, Ted Postula and Earl Kay
MEMBERS ABSENT:
None
OTHERS PRESENT: Tim Dolehanty,
County Controller, Jim Lucas, MSU Extension Director, Brian Pepper, Prosecuting
Attorney, Tim McKee, OES/E 9-1-1 Director, Elizabeth Church, Chief Public
Defender, and Norma Osborn
Additions / Deletions to the
Agenda
Chairperson Dale called for additions or deletions to
the agenda. Hear none, the agenda
was declared approved as presented.
Public Comments
Chairperson Dale called for pubic comments. No public comments were
offered.
The Committee reviewed a memorandum from Circuit Court
Judge Nicholas Lambros announcing office hours of the Friend of the Court were
changed to 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. beginning on April 1. Commissioner Kay stated he did not agree
with this decision, adding that there was no reason why office personnel could
not stagger hours to maintain an 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. presence. Chairperson Dale suggested monitoring
all departments to assure office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m.
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, seconded by Chairperson Dale, to not accept the office hour adjustment for the Friend of the Court, and to table formal action pending further investigation. On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Agenda Items: Friend of the Court Part-time Employee
Hours
The Committee reviewed a memorandum from Circuit Court
Judge Nicholas Lambros announcing that the hours of the part-time data entry
clerk would be adjusted upward from five to 20 hours per week. The data entry clerk would be assigned
to duties associated with the medical support enforcement contract. County Controller Tim Dolehanty noted
the position was included in the 2004 budget. The Committee discussed the requirements
of the agreement and the implications for the data entry
clerk.
It was moved by
Commissioner Kay, seconded by Commissioner Postula, to contact Judge
Lambros about the medical support enforcement contract and to have a
presentation made at the Finance, Claims and Accounts meeting on May 6.
On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Mr. Dolehanty reported on recent resignations at the
Animal Control Shelter and discussions held with the Sault Ste. Marie City
Management concerning the agreement for supplemental animal control
services. He stated animal shelter
attendant Holly Henderson originally applied for an open animal control officer
position and expressed continued interest in that job. Mr. Dolehanty suggested Ms. Henderson be
temporarily assigned as a full time animal shelter attendant pending completion
of the 100-hour training program to be certified as an animal control
officer. Then, upon receipt of the
certification, assign her to the full-time animal control officer
position.
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, seconded by Commissioner Postula, to recommend Holly Henderson be given full-time status as an animal shelter attendant and that consideration be given to promoting Ms. Henderson to the animal control officer position, on a part time basis, upon her completion of certification requirements. On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Mr. Dolehanty asked that the Committee recommend
authorizing him to hire two animal shelter attendants to fill open
positions. He stated he had a
number of applications are on file that were less than one year old. Mr. Dolehanty said he was concerned that
a delay in hiring until the June board meeting would hamper operations at the
animal shelter.
Commissioner Kay asked if the hours of the animal
shelter attendants could be reduced in recognition of the current budget
situation. It was noted that these
positions were originally supposed to be 20-hours per
week.
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, seconded by Commissioner Postula, to recommend that the County Controller be authorized to hire two part-time animal shelter attendants from the field of standing applications, and that the positions be filled on a 20-hour per week schedule. On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
The Committee discussed the impact on the animal control
budget if the City should decide to cancel their contract. Mr. Dolehanty stated the City contract
requires an animal control officer to be available from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
on weeknights, and from 10:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. on weekends. He said cancellation of the City
contract would mean elimination of this position.
4-H Agent Position
MSU Extension Director Jim Lucas told the committee
about the interview process recently completed to select a 4-H Youth Agent. He said the selected candidate was very
qualified. Mr. Lucas said Michigan
State University would honor the terms of the prior memorandum of understanding
in which the County would pay the wages for the position, and MSU would pay for
the fringe benefits.
Commissioner Kay said budget decisions made in December
that included funding for the 4-H position assumed a certain revenue level. He said it now appears as though funding
will be less than budgeted, and that he could not justify a new hire if the
County has to lay off another employee.
Mr. Kay said the only way to increase revenue is to increase taxes, and
that he was reluctant to do so.
Mr. Lucas asked if the Committee would be favorable to
an additional $9,000 supplement from MSU to be applied to the position. He added that 4-H programs were
suffering because of the lack of a 4-H Agent, and that he was not certain MSU
would offer to pay for fringe benefits in the future.
Commissioner Postula stated the Board is aware of the
importance of the 4-H Youth Agent, but simply cannot find the funds necessary to
fill the position.
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, seconded by Commissioner Postula, to table the request to hire a 4-H Youth Agent because of a lack of funding. In a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Prosecuting Attorney Brian Peppler asked the Committee
to consider promoting the Family Support Coordinator from grade 7 to grade
8. He said the position is funded
through a state grant, and that the grant amount would be increased to pay for
the additional wages. Chairperson
Dale asked Mr. Peppler about the justification for the increase. Mr. Peppler reviewed specific job
requirements and concluded the position required much more than a legal
secretary. He said the change would
place this position on par with that of an office manager.
Commissioner Kay expressed concern about the precedent
this requested promotion would set.
He stated other County employees would ask for similar consideration if
this promotion were approved. The
Committee agreed to review the allocation study and fiscal impact of the
promotion before forming a recommendation.
OES/E 9-1-1 Director Tim McKee proposed that Chris
LaPointe, a part-time dispatcher since November, 2001, be promoted to fill a
vacant dispatcher position. He also
proposed appointment of Brenda Curtis be hired to fill the part-time dispatcher
position vacated by Mr. LaPointe.
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, seconded by Commissioner Postula, to recommend appointment of Chris LaPointe to the vacant full-time dispatcher position, and to recommend appointment of Brenda Curtis to the vacant part-time dispatcher position. On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Mr. McKee pointed out that part-time dispatchers earn
$8.00 per hour when they are hired, and $10.00 per hour upon completion of
required training. He asked that
part-time dispatcher pay be increased to $9.00 upon hiring and $12.00 upon
completion of training. It was
suggested that part-time dispatchers be placed on the approved pay schedule for
non-union employees in order to assure equity with other employees and to keep
pace with inflation.
It was moved by Commissioner Postula, seconded by Commissioner Kay, to recommend that part-time dispatchers be places on the non-union pay scale at grade 6. On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Mr. McKee asked to be given authorization to hire
employees to fill vacancies as they occur.
The Committee instructed him to prepare a formal proposal for
consideration at a future date.
Chief Public Defender Elizabeth Church appeared before
the Committee to review the Sault Tribe / Public Defender contract as instructed
by the Board of Commissioners. A
legal opinion obtained from the County’s Corporation Counsel was reviewed by the
Committee. The process followed to
assure Public Defender clients meet eligibility criteria was discussed. The Committee agreed to spend more time
to develop a fair and equitable solution to the problem. In turn, Ms. Church agreed not to accept
additional pay until the matter is resolved.
Committee Comments
There were no additional committee comments.
Chairperson Dale had no additional
comments.
Adjourn
It was moved by
Commissioner Postula, seconded by Chairperson Kay, to adjourn the meeting. On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Chairperson Dale declared the meeting adjourned at 7:00
p.m.
__________________________________
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Timothy J. Dolehanty, AICP, Recorder Rita Dale, Committee
Chairperson