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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-16-1996 Meeting I I I ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - January 16, 1996 2:30 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor; Beard, Chairmart; Bridges, Vice-Chairman; Brigham, member; John Etheridge, Human Resources Director; Linda Beazley, Interim Suburban Services Administrator; George Patty, Community Development Director; Sirena Rogers, Community Development Administrator; Jim Wall, Interim Attorney; Sandy Wright, Asst. Director of Risk Management; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission-Council and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission-Council. - ABSENT: Hon. J. B. Powell, member. Also Present: Wayne Partridge of the Augusta Chronicle, other members of the news media and Hon. Robert Zetterberg, Commissioner. Communication from the Community Development Director stating in September, 1995 Shirley Henshaw, Financial Officer for the Community Development Department, died suddenly of a heart attack. Shirley was a real professional, with expertise in HUD accounting methods and Grant Administration developed over 25 years in a similar position in Norfolk, Virginia. This position must be filled immediately because the current staff does not have expertise in this area. The physical location of the position, and whether or not the position is organized under CD or the Comptroller's Department do not have to be decided at this time. A qualified Financial Officer must be hired to keep the program in operation, was read. Mr. Bridges: I make a motion to get it on the floor. Mr. Brigham: Second. Mr. Bridges: Would we just post the job or look to people who were laid off? Mr. Patty: We would go through Personnel through their normal procedure for filling the position. Mr. Etheridge: I'm confused about the issue of employment because I was under the impression that we're not doing any hiring except for Public Safety areas. That was the directive I've been given from a personnel standpoint and if we're not going to do any hiring, we shouldn't do any hiring. Mr. Chairman: I think it's a matter of emergency, isn't it? I think we hire emergency people all the time. Mr. Etheridge: We are hiring only Public Safety employees right now. Everything else has been put on hold. Mr. Brigham: Well, this lady died. Mr. Etheridge: So we are hiring people? Mr. Brigham: In this particular case. general statement should be made that we are has to be looked at on a case-by-case basis. I don't think a hiring. I think it Mr. Etheridge: If we open this door, everybody that has a vacancy is going to come to me and want to hire for a position. If that's what we're going to do, then that's fine and we'll proceed forward. Mr. Chairman: I think the Commissioners will make that decision on each basis. Mr. Etheridge: So individually they will be approved? Mr. Chairman: We're putting this up now because we feel that it's an emergency and there is a need for this and plus this is a reimbursement. I think if you have another emergency then you can bring it back to that Committee and they will deal with it. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Asst. Director of Risk Management recommending approval of the Substance Abuse POlicy, was read. Ms. Wright: Currently the former City and county each have Substance Abuse policies. They do have some differences and at this time we're requesting that the Commission adopt a single policy for all employees so we will not have discrimination concerning the two areas. The one area where there will be a conflict is in the County, if an employee tests positive for an illegal substance, they are terminated. Under the old City policy, they are offered a chance at rehabilitation. We are recommending that the policy of termination for a positive test be adopted. Mr. Brigham: I move that we get it on the floor for discussion. Mr. Bridges: Second. Mr. Wall: This is the first step toward trying to combine the various City and County policies. The personnel policy will be the next one and it's being tackled to try to get everyone operating from the same rules. She commented on the main change. There is another one so far as return to duty testing where the City's was five years and the County's was three years and we're recommending going with the County three year. Other than that, this is in order. Mr. Etheridge: This is a no-tolerance policy. We have found that going to a no-tolerance policy is more practical and I I I I I I cost effective. Mr. Chairman: Is there no rehabilitation in this? Ms. Wright: There is only voluntary. If they come forward before they are selected and they have a problem, we assist them in rehab in getting into a program. But if their number is pulled, then they don't get an opportunity to go through rehab. I've got some figures on testing prior to this policy. Out of 23 positives, we had four that actually completed rehab so it was not real successful. We've had six so far this year come forward voluntarily and they are still in compliance with the rehab program so it appears that when they know they want to keep their job and they don't want a positive on their record, the rehabilitation works. But when we force them, I think it's too much stress. They've done far better under the new program of termination if they're positive. Mr. Chairman: The people are told that they can come forward? Ms. Wright: All employees are trained. We have a safety training officer that trained the former County employees and he would do the same for the former City employees. Mr. Etheridge: this information has understand it. This And we get them to sign a statement that been covered with them and that they do is placed in their personnel folder. Mr. Bridges: Is the motion that we accept the entire package? Ms. Wright: Yes, sir. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Wall: Could we take up a proposed settlement? Mr. Dunbar has delivered to me some information and appraisal. is the house that adjoins the 42" water pipe that ruptured December 15. Mr. Reed has obtained estimates to clean out mud and debris and repair the home and has worked with the people. This would involve a transfer of title from the property owner. It would not actually come into the consolidated government but the government would act as the party putting a contractor together with that person. So the contractor would actually buy directly from the property owner which taking the value of the house less the cost of repairs would result in $49,500 being paid to the property owner plus an additional $40,000 for contents for a total of $89,500 which would be paid by the consolidated government from the water and sewer fund from the Urban Service District. Mr. Reed and Mr. Dunbar have recommended it and I've reviewed the information and I recommend it. It is for one house. This on the Mr. Bridges: Are there other houses? I Mr. Wall: All but one, I think, have been settled. Mr. Dillard: The remaining houses have been or are in the process of being repaired. Mr. Bridges: I make a motion that we accept it. Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Chairman: On the last Public Works Committee we talked about a clean up and since it will involve Public Safety, I was wondering if we could get a motion to take that before the Public Safety Committee? Mr. Bridges: I move that we pass the information on to the Public Safety Committee. Mrs. Beazley: Are you talking about the clean up with RCCI? Mr. Chairman: Yes. Mrs. Beazley: I think that that can come on to Mr. Dillard I because we've already been talking about it and he's working on it. Mr. Dillard: We supposedly already have about eight or ten from Mr. Smith over to Mr. Hartley in Public Works. Mr. Chairman: Maybe Mr. Brigham's committee could also work on it. Mr. Bridges: My motion is just pass it on for them to bring a recommendation back to the Commission. Mr. Mayor: We might need to look at the cost. Mr. Brigham: We'll do it through RCCI since it comes under my committee but it needs to come out of this Committee with some kind of recommendation. Mr. Bridges: I move that we pass it on to Public Safety as information. Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Zetterberg: I'd like to be recognized. Like Mr. I Etheridge, I'm confused on the hiring policy for the City-County. It's my understanding that last week a department head went out I I I and hired through his own budget, obligated the City to spend money in support of the Sheriff's Department in regards to some automation support. My belief was that we had a hiring freeze and it's also my belief that only Mr. Etheridge ought to be in the loop to hire people and that anybody who does that ought to pay for the employees themselves. I think we ought to take a look at the policies and I think it's a serious situation. Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your comments. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission-Council NWM