Wellfleet Personnel Board
Minutes for Meeting of October 15, 2002
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
Present: Sue Peters, Chair; Lisa Benson, Ken Kimball, John Makely; Rex
Peterson, Assistant Town Administrator; Becky Rosenberg, Recreation Director, Angel Robinson, Assistant to the Recreation Director, Alan Hight, Fire Chief
Absent: Ira Wood
Chair Peters called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. Lisa Benson distributed copies of the finalized version of the Personnel Board Position Grading Manual.
Re-grading of the Position of Assistant to the Recreation Director. Becky Rosenberg and Angel Robinson attended the meeting to answer questions concerning the Job Questionnaire for the Assistant to the Rec Department, submitted to aid the Board in its deliberations. Lisa Benson complimented the completed questionnaire as a "great job" and, referring to the cover letter which stated that it had become necessary for the Assistant to assume many of the responsibilities of the Director, asked what duties would be transferred to the Assistant. Ms. Rosenberg explained that the volume of work hours for the Rec Department had increased, including the running of the skateboard park, the Oyster Festival, concerts and trips, etc., and that the department runs 7 days per week. Her position
works 40 hours per week year-round, the Assistant works 40 hours per week from January through September and 30 hours from October to December to handle the volume of work in this activity-based department. Their hours are scheduled so that either one or the other is overseeing scheduled activities at all times; therefore, the Assistant position would often assume directorial responsibilities.
The Board turned to the process of grading the position, reviewing the points assigned to each element of the position. The Accountability category provoked the usual difficulties in agreement.
Ken Kimball pointed out that many elements of teaching sports and supervising sports activities could have been included under Manual Dexterity in the completed Job Questionnaire.
It was ascertained that the responsibility of dealing with parents and children has been moved from the Director to the Assistant.
After review, the Board arrived at a tentative total of 513 points, giving a grade of 10.
Discussion followed of the fact that the job description for Assistant mirrored closely the description of the duties of Director. It was asked if the re-grading would be implemented immediately upon approval; Rex Peterson noted that Tim Smith would be informed that the position had been re-graded and would then work out the financial arrangements.
Questions were raised about the Job Questionnaire, and it was suggested that going though the Questionnaire delineating the categories more carefully might adjust the grade to 9, which the Board seemed to feel more appropriate to the position level. Discussion followed about whether this should be addressed immediately; Lisa Benson stated that she would like to see the Job Description for the Director position also.
Ken Kimball stated that, since it was 5 p.m. and he needed to attend the meeting being conducted by Town Counsel Betsy Lane at the Library, he would leave the meeting; he asked Rex Peterson to use his notes and represent his opinion for the grading process on the Deputy Fire Chief.
Lisa Benson moved that, based on previous discussion, the Accountability item be revisited and reduced from 3.0 to 2.0, thus decreasing the point value from 90 to 60, resulting in a total grade of 9. No second was forthcoming.
Discussion moved to the responsibilities of department heads and assistant department heads and the number of parallel duties in these positions. Ms. Rosenberg explained her belief in the necessity for upgrading the Assistant's position, volunteering to return to another meeting to discuss the accountability of both jobs. Lisa Benson, while stating her understanding of the reasons for the proposal to upgrade, advised Rosenberg to attempt to hire another part-time person to afford relief from the work load; she also advised Rosenberg to bring her own position to the Board for review.
Benson once more moved that the Accountability item be revisited and reduced from 3.0 to 2.0, thus decreasing the point value from 90 to 60, resulting in a total grade of 9. John Makely seconded. The motion passed, 3-0.
Chair Peters asked if this grade change would become effective for FY2003; Peterson advised the Board that implementation should be left up to the Town Administrator. Ms. Peters then moved that the Board would not express an opinion as to when the grade change would become budgetarily effective; Benson seconded; the motion passed, 3-0.
Grading of Deputy Fire Chief Position. Fire Chief Alan Hight presented this position to the Board; he stated that the job right now is for a call fire-fighter, not full time, that it will probably fall under the WEA, and that he foresees the position becoming a regular part-time job in the future. The Deputy Chief's duties will include assisting the Fire Chief in managing and covering for him when he is not available. Chief Hight stated that he has been motivated to get this position graded by the contracts of the regular and call fire-fighters which state that anyone covering for the Chief will receive an extra $10 per hour, which is becoming budgetarily cost-prohibitive.
The Board proceeded to move through the grading process, discussing and analyzing the elements of the position. Rex Peterson represented Ken Kimball in the evaluation process, using Kimball's notes. After the Board arrived at a total of 763 points and a grade of 13, Lisa Benson moved that the Personnel Board accept the Grade of 13 for the Deputy Fire Chief position; Sue Peters seconded; the motion passed, 3-0.
Chief Hight stated that he plans to propose the hiring of another, previously approved, position for next year and inquired whether he should return to the next Board meeting to present this proposal. Rex Peterson replied that this proposal should go on a warrant article and that the BOS would come to the Personnel Board for an opinion before the warrant was presented to the Town.
Minutes of Meeting of September 17, 2002. Lisa Benson moved that the minutes of 9/17/02 be approved, Sue Peters seconded the motion, and the motion passed, 3-0.
Mail. Chair Peters reviewed the monthly budget.
John Makely moved to adjourn the meeting, Benson seconded, and the meeting was adjourned unanimously at 5:45.
Respectfully submitted,
_____________________________ ___________________________
Frances J. Castillo, Assistant to the Sue Peters, Chair
Committee Secretary ________________________Date
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