Town o f C h i l m a r k P e r s o n n e l B o a r d
M i n u t e s
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Chilmark Town Hall
8am
Present: Max McCreery (Chair), Jennie Greene, Frank LoRusso,
Also Present: J.B. Riggs Parker (BOS observer), Marina Lent (Secretary), Timothy R. Carroll (Executive Secretary)
Absent: Stephen Lewenberg, Chuck Hodgkinson (Staff Representative)
Review of Town Executive functions/position descriptions: Max McCreery reported on the work of a subcommittee formed to develop Personnel Board recommendations to the Board of Selectmen on the proposed draft position descriptions of Operations Manager and Executive Secretary. He characterized the Executive Secretary job description as oriented towards project management and office technology and supportive functions. The Operations Manager manages the staff. He noted that the first meeting with the Executive Secretary showed “rough edges.” The Subcommittee has not yet had the opportunity to meet with the Coordinator of Administrative Support. Jennie Greene stated that the Executive Secretary does not want to see any job changes.
Frank LoRusso felt that changes in the responsibilities of the Executive Secretary are imperative, because his current workload results in much work not being done, or not being done thoroughly. Important decisions are put before Boards served by the Executive Secretary at the last minute, with little or no time for review. This is due to the overwhelming workload currently assigned to the Executive Secretary.
Riggs Parker joined the meeting
Max McCreery gave a brief recap of the discussion just concluded regarding the meeting of the Subcommittee with Executive Secretary Tim Carroll. Riggs Parker agreed that thorough staffing of important issues is not happening. Frank LoRusso reiterated that, according to the Subcommittee, Tim Carroll is resistant to any changes.
Review of Town Finance Positions: Max McCreery stated that he is not comfortable with the process undertaken by the Personnel Board. A subcommittee of the Board has found that the position of Treasurer does not warrant up-grading.
Riggs Parker voiced the concern of the Selectmen that parity among finance positions should be maintained, and that perhaps the Assistant Assessor’s re-grading exercise should be reviewed. Frank LoRusso noted that the Personnel Board acted precipitously and maybe too aggressively in the re-grading exercise for the Assistant Assessor position, and felt that the Board may not have made the correct decision on this matter. Having had the opportunity to consider the ramifications, and in consideration of the fact that the Selectmen have held off from addressing it, members felt that they had been overzealous and they wished to make the right decision.
Frank suggested that the Board, having looked at the Assistant Assessor and the Treasurer grading, should also take a look at the Accountant and see if the pattern holds true. If it does, he would be willing to make the motion to reconsider.
Minutes of February 4, 2010 were tabled pending Board review of suggested amendments.
Tim Carroll joined the meeting.
Performance Evaluation of Seasonal Employees: Frank LoRusso reported that he was unable to report to the Board on this matter because he had not received any input beyond the information that neither Library nor Harbor Departments are currently doing written evaluations of their seasonal employees.
Tim Carroll reported on discussions held on this issue at a Department Heads meeting. The Library has expressed interest in adopting a procedure similar to that used by the Police Department for its seasonal employees. The Police Department made its evaluation forms available to other departments, who will adapt it to their needs. They had hoped to make it available for this morning’s Personnel Board meeting. Frank LoRusso advised the Board to wait to see what the various Departments wish to do.
Performance Evaluation Survey: Jennie Greene has prepared a survey for employees to respond to the Board on their experience with the new performance evaluation process. She had not brought a copy of the draft survey with her, and thus it could not be reviewed by the Board at this meeting.
Updating of Position Descriptions: Max McCreery asked for a sense of the Board as to whether to develop a regular, systematic review process to ensure that position descriptions are kept up-to-date. The Board felt that position descriptions should be updated on an as-needed basis. Jennie Greene noted that the current performance evaluation asks supervisors to consider whether the description on file adequately reflects the job being performed. The request for updating or review should come from the supervisor, not the employee. Overseeing this process would rest with the Operations Manager.
Review of Town Executive functions/position descriptions: Max McCreery gave a brief re-cap of the subcommittee’s report to the Board on its review of the draft Operations Manager and Executive Secretary position descriptions. The Selectmen had asked the Board to fine-tune the draft position descriptions. In the course of its work, the subcommittee had met with Tim Carroll. Max McCreery asked Tim Carroll how he thought the meeting went.
Tim Carroll replied that he had been informed that his opinion would not matter, so he had not considered the meeting valuable. Max McCreery clarified that Tim’s opinion didn’t matter with respect to the overall structure the Selectmen have put in place. He did not intend to imply that Tim’s opinion on the details of the draft position descriptions would not be taken into consideration. He noted that the subcommittee had not been able to reach any agreement with Tim on the position description because Tim did not agree with the nature of the change.
Frank LoRusso appealed to Tim to consider that the current structure of responsibilities leaves him so inundated that it is impossible to adequately address some crucial functions. He stressed the example of having to make critical budget decisions in the Finance Committee without the necessary information to make the right decisions prior to the meetings. He felt that Tim Carroll could function better given more time to accomplish his responsibilities.
Tim Carroll stated that he disagreed with the concept of having two Executive Secretaries, both reporting directly to the Board of Selectmen. He had told the subcommittee that he considered the proposed structure to be inappropriate, and that the goal of reducing his workload could be better accomplished by amending his existing position description to allow him to delegate areas of responsibility.
Jennie Greene observed that Tim clearly did not want to relinquish the supervisory and human resources functions of the job, but that these need to be taken away, as he is not a good manager of people and being relieved of these duties will enable him to focus on the areas of work where he excels.
Tim Carroll pointed out that, in the past, supervisory functions were not clearly delineated, and the work of the town suffered.
Riggs replied that the efforts to define a supervisory structure for the Town had not resulted in improved performance and that stresses and confusion of supervision still exist. He noted that, were this a private company, he would probably have asked Tim to leave. But because it is a small town, with only a limited pool of talent to choose from, and because Tim has some extraordinarily good strengths in some areas of work, the solution is to adjust the functions to work with the existing staff.
Frank LoRusso stated that losing Tim would be a detriment to the Town. He noted that Tim’s knowledge and talents are an important resource, and the town is not getting the benefit of Tim’s abilities because he is overloaded with work.
Riggs reminded the Board how often he has been faced with making important decisions for the town based on last-minute, inadequate information. The reason for this is that Tim does not have sufficient time to prepare quality work for the town’s decision-makers.
Tim agreed that the crux of the matter will be to find a way to reduce his day-to-day workload. However, he felt that it is not possible to do his job as Executive Secretary without having supervision of staff.
Riggs Parker reiterated that Tim is not a good manager of people. He felt that Tim lacks leadership qualities. Things are not getting done.
Max McCreery requested Tim Carroll to demonstrate a commitment to making the proposed structure work. Tim Carroll mentioned a conversation with Selectman Frank Fenner in which an exchange of views had taken place.
The subcommittee has agreed to review Tim’s suggestions, and meet with Chuck Hodgkinson to discuss the position of Operations Manager.
Administrative Assistant to the Fire Chief: The Board noted that there was only one applicant for the position of Administrative Assistant to the Fire Chief, and that the position, although it had been posted in Town Hall and Fire Stations, had not been advertised in a journal of record as required by the Personnel Bylaw.
Recruitment of Seasonal Staff: the Board determined that seasonal positions should be advertised in a timely manner so as to have available candidates to consider in case expected seasonal personnel do not re-apply. There should be a blanket ad through Town Hall for the seasonal positions.
Draft Treasurer Position Description: Frank LoRusso felt that the changes made added very little to the description. Formatting changes need to be undertaken. Jennie Greene agreed, and felt that the old job description was better.
Policy on Personal Vehicle Use: Jennie Greene presented a policy adopted by the Board in the past which addresses personal vehicle use in service of the Town, including rental of personal vehicles by the Town, as well as reimbursement for mileage and for the use of personal vehicles during an emergency. The Board agreed that, in future, the Town should require a certificate of liability insurance from persons whose vehicles are used in the service of the Town.
The meeting adjourned at 9:46am.
Approved: ______________________________________________ Date:__________
Maxwell McCreery, Chairman
A recording of this meeting is on file at the Board of Health office and available for on-site review.
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