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Human Resources Board of Chilmark
December 3, 2015 APPROVED MINUTES
Present: Jim Malkin, Chair, Jennie Greene, Max McCreery,, Stephen Lewenberg, Bill Rossi, Board of Selectmen Representative, Chuck Hodgkinson, HRBC Staff Representative
Not present: Steven Flanders
Public/ Board or Comm. Members:
Staff: Jennifer Christy, Admin. Asst., Tim Carroll, Exec. Sec., Diana DeBlase, Receptionist & Asst. to the Exec. Sec., Melanie Becker, Treasurer, Ellen Biskis, Accountant
Meeting called to order at 8:00AM
- Public Hearing: Proposed Bylaw Amendments to HR Bylaw, 1.3, 3.0:
- Mr. Malkin opened the public hearing and read the bylaw advertisement and posting. Mr. Malkin noted that the proposed bylaw changes have been reviewed by Town Counsel and no changes were submitted.
- Mr. Carroll summarized the reasoning behind the proposed amendments.
- Mr. Malkin asked if there was any comment or discussion. No comment was submitted prior to the hearing. Ms. DeBlase was recognized and expressed support for the amendments. There was no other comment or discussion.
- Mr. Malkin closed the public hearing.
- A motion was made to recommend the proposed amendments to the HR Bylaws to the Board of Selectmen. The motion was seconded and voted unanimously to approve.
- Discussion re HR Bylaw proposed amendments to Section 6:
- Mr. Malkin requested that Mr. Carroll present the rationale for the proposed amendments to Section 6.
- Five issues were presented:
- A proposed change to section 6.2.1 to allow a maximum accumulation of sick leave from 60 days to 120 days.
- A proposed change to section 6.2.1 to allow a fifth accrual to the schedule to allow 25 days of vacation to be earned after 20 years of continuous service.
- A proposed change to section 6.2.3 to change the minimum time of service in order to sell back unused Sick Leave from 5 years to 10 years. The change also recommended requiring 5 years of timesheets submitted showing benefit time used before sick leave would be bought back (at retirement) and a 1 year notice of retirement from employees in order to receive unused sick leave benefit.
- A proposed amendment to section 6.1.5 to allow employees to request payment for unused benefit time earned in a fiscal year.
- A proposed amendment to section 6.9.1 to pay employees for unused personal leave time at the completion of the fiscal year in which it is earned.
- Discussion occurred regarding the proposed changes.
- Mr. Carroll explained that the proposed changes would bring the benefits granted to town employees outside of the police department in line with those currently granted to employees in the police department. He also noted that the changes would explicitly indicate to employees the need for timesheets and records of benefit time use.
- Ms. Greene spoke against the establishment of a 1 year notice of retirement.
- Ms. Greene made a motion to take no action on the issue of accrued sick time at this time.
- Mr. McCreery asked for explanation regarding the completion of timesheets. Ms. Becker explained the current situation regarding timesheet completion.
- Mr. Malkin noted one key issue being discussed is record-keeping for the purpose tracking the accrual of benefit time.
- Mr. Carroll itemized the five issues that are in the memo.
- Mr. Malkin requested the Board members please review the memo for further discussion at the next HR meeting in January.
- Ms. Becker asked for clarification of the bereavement leave. It was noted that the bylaw states bereavement leave is for “five sequential days.” Ms. Becker asked that the word sequential be eliminated. Ms. Becker noted that the bylaw currently seems to incentivize the employee to leave for 5 sequential days which may not be possible or reasonable for the workplace schedule.
- Mr. Lewenberg expressed his support for the elimination of the word ‘sequential.’ Ms. Greene stated that she did not feel a change is needed and that the Town can be flexible. Ms. Greene suggested that the change in the bereavement section be discussed at the next meeting as well.
- HRS, Inc. Compensation Study:
- Mr. Malkin summarized the events that have occurred after the November 5, 2015 meeting.
- Mr. Rossi stated the Chairman of the Selectmen, Jonathan Mayhew, settled the agreement with HRS, Inc.
- Mr. Malkin made a motion to recommend to the Board of Selectmen that the Board cannot proceed with the work of obtaining an independent report and subsequently provide a recommendation to the Selectmen.
- Mr. Lewenberg stated the report can be used as a working document. Mr. Malkin stated that, in any case, the report is not an independent report.
- Mr. Carroll noted the Selectmen were provided, at their meeting on December 2, 2015, with a timeline of events throughout the time of working with the consultant at HRS, Inc. He also provided all the documents that were generated during the process.
- Mr. Hodgkinson asked that Ms. Christy provide Board members a PDF packet of all of the documents that were provided by HRS, Inc.
- Mr. Malkin asked that the Selectmen would need to amend the task that they have given to the Board to conduct an independent compensation study due to the fact that the study has not been independently done. Mr. Carroll stated it was his understanding that the Board of Selectmen, by settling with HRS, Inc., endorsed the HR Board to continue the work to complete the study with available information. Mr. Rossi agreed that the Board of Selectmen felt the HR Board would be able to complete the study and make a recommendation to the BOS without further collaboration with HRS, Inc. Mr. Malkin emphasized again that the original request from the Selectmen was to initiate and complete an independent study and this has not been successfully completed.
- Ms. DeBlase requested that the Board of Selectmen issue a public records request for the wage scale and classification plan from each island town. No action was taken on this request. Mr. Malkin asked that a memo be sent to the Board of Selectmen stating that the independent study was not completed and the Board needs guidance from the Board of Selectmen to proceed to complete a study and make a recommendation as to the future steps.
- Mr. McCreery asked if there is a target percentile that the Town is looking to arrive at. Mr. Carroll noted that the Town, fifteen years ago, wanted to place compensation for positions at the 75 percentile.
- Mr. Rossi stated the desired outcome for the Board of Selectmen is that the employees are satisfied that the study has been fully completed and that the information provided is fair.
- Mr. Carroll noted the memo to the BOS should note what recommendation the Board has for any further work with the consultant at HRS, Inc. Mr. Malkin asked if there are any Board members that would like to continue with HRS, Inc. No Board members recommended any continued work with HRS, Inc.
- FY17 Proposed Annual Budget:
- Board members reviewed the proposed budget.
- Mr. Carroll made a recommendation that the Board increase the professional development line.
- Ms. DeBlase recommended that the administrative assistant salary line be increased due to the possible work on the compensation study.
- Ms. Greene made a motion to approve the FY17 proposed budget. The motion was seconded. All ayes.
- The minutes were reviewed.
- Ms. Greene made a motion to approve the minutes with one change. The motion was seconded. The minutes were approved unanimously.
- Grade change for Tax Collector position and Asst. to the Office of the Boar d of Selectmen/ Receptionist:
- Mr. Hodgkinson stated the issue: the positions that were regraded to the new grades of Grade 10 for Tax Collector and Grade 7 for Asst. to the Board of Selectmen/Receptionist would take effect on July 1, 2016 with the positions placed at Step 6. In addition, any step increase for the employee for FY17, based on satisfactory performance in FY16, would be made as well on July 1, 2016. This would place each employee at Step 7 for FY17. The Board recommended that this procedure is to be followed and also that the departments are to indicate on their FY17 budgets the new grade & step.
Meeting adjourned at 9:37 AM
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