Wellfleet Personnel Board
Minutes of Meeting of May 22, 2003
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
Present: Sue Peters, Chair; Ken Kimball, John Makely, Patricia Foley;
Jacqui Wildes, Director, Council on Aging
Excused: Lisa Benson, Rex Peterson
Sue Peters convened the meeting at 4:00 p.m., welcoming Patricia Foley to the Board as the representative for the FinCom; Ms. Foley replaces newly elected Selectman Ira Wood.
Discussion of Job Descriptions for Council on Aging Positions. Jacqui Wildes, Director of the Council on Aging, was in attendance at the meeting to explain the job descriptions for Office Manager and Office Assistant as requested by the Personnel Board (see minutes of May 6, 2003). She filled the Board in on the history of the positions, stating that descriptions from the 1980's included Director, Assistant Office Manager, and Outreach Coordinator, that she had sent over to the Administrative Office more adequate job descriptions in 1999, but that these never appeared before Personnel Board for approval. Because she now needs to advertise and fill the Office Assistant position, she had submitted both office positions to the Board for the May 6 meeting, commenting that
she felt these job descriptions reflect duties now being performed. (She noted that she had dropped Assistant from the earlier title of Assistant Office Manager because it was the only office manager position.)
Sue Peters asked whether the imminent move to the new Council on Aging building would change the duties now performed by these positions and, therefore, the job descriptions. Ms. Wildes felt that there would be no changes except perhaps that a greater number of the same duties now performed might be required.
Ken Kimball inquired whether the positions were to be re-graded, noting that Rex Peterson, Assistant Town Administrator, was to have checked on Tim Smith's opinion on such re-grading. Since Peterson was not able to be present at this meeting, Kimball noted that he would still like an answer on the re-grading issue. He proposed going through the descriptions and discussing items with Ms. Wildes at this time.
Sue Peters explained that the Board wished to avoid a future problem concerning the grading of the positions; Ms. Wildes stated that the salaries for these positions (as now graded) were good and, from a manager's point of view, re-grading them was not necessary.
Peters asked if it were conceivable that the Office Assistant would not need computer skills or typing; Wildes answered that this was conceivable and that this position did not need driving skills, either. She explained the positions at the Council on Aging: Director (40 hours), Office Manager (20 hours), Office Assistant (15 hours), and Outreach Coordinator (20 hours), a position approved in '92, updated in '99, which would need to be filled by a professional--social worker or nurse--if it were hired today.
The Board then turned to the Job Descriptions, asking the same kind of questions that would be asked if the positions were to be re-graded.
Office Assistant. For this position to be filled, Ms. Wildes stated she was looking for interpersonal skills: the ability to supply information, to access resources, and to provide general office skills. Several suggestions were offered:
"Computer skills desirable" to be added to General Skills (To Pat Foley's query of whether this would increase the grade, Kimball noted that it would not since it would substitute for typewriter skills.)
Addition of "client" to "awareness of client boundaries" in General Skills (Here Wildes explained that professionalism in not crossing boundaries of confidentiality is necessary in COA matters.)
Under Specific Duties and Responsibilities, changing from "Assist facilitators…" to "Logistical assistance to facilitators of COA Programs"
Removal of "Valid Driver's License" as a Certification/license requirement
John Makely moved and Ken Kimball seconded that the Personnel Board accept the job description of Office Assistant as presented with adopted amendments. The motion carried, 4-0.
Office Manager. The incumbent is in place in this position; in reviewing the description, the Board suggested several changes:
Under Education and Experience, change to "or at least 5 years related experience; omit "preferably in Human Services."
In General Skills, 3rd bullet, change "persons" to "people". John Makely asked the level of problem-solving and organizational skills required for this category; Wildes explained that in this position such skills included the judgement and common sense necessary to deal with a barrage of conditions varying from the trivial to the important.
Under Specific Duties and Responsibilities, write out the acronym CORI
Change position title back to Assistant Office Manager
Sue Peters moved and Ken Kimball seconded that the Personnel Board accept the Assistant Office Manager job description with the minor amendments discussed; the motion carried, 4-0.
Peters moved that the minutes reflect that fact that the Board suggests that the grades for the two above positions be reviewed against the grading manual; Kimball seconded; the motion carried, 4-0.
Further discussion centered on the new Council on Aging Building on Old King's Highway, which will open in July.
Other Business.
John Makely presented to the Board a draft of a chart entitled "Wellfleet Personnel Board Position Review Procedure Chart" prepared by Makely and Lisa Benson. This document is designed to map out the process for department heads to follow when requesting review and re-grading. Chair Peters suggested that the Board study the draft and that its discussion be placed on the next meeting's agenda; she thanked Makely and Benson for their work.
It was noted that the Chair had received a phone call from Arlene Kirsch concerning Ken Kimball's "Information Form for Proposed Staff Additions" (see minutes of 5/6) and that copies of the approved form had been e-mailed to FinCom members. Kimball noted that the Personnel Board needed to use the form in order to ascertain if other revisions were needed.
John Makely noted that a question had arisen concerning what happens next after Personnel Board re-grades a position. Kimball suggested that Personnel Board should meet with the Board of Selectmen to discuss this matter, citing the recent BOS changes in the Shellfish Constable position.
Minutes of May 6, 2003. Ken Kimball moved and John Makely seconded approval of the 5/6/03 meeting as amended; the motion carried, 4-0.
It was noted that the next meeting would deal with reorganization of the Board. The meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________________ ____________________________
Frances J. Castillo, Assistant to the Sue Peters, Chair Committee Secretary _________________________Date
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