HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-25-2013 Regular MeetingSTATE OF ALABAMA
COUNTY OF BALDWIN
Personnel Board met at 9:00 AM
City Hall , Conference Room,
161 North Section Street, Fairhope , Alabama 36532 , on
Friday , 25 October , 2013.
Present were:
Diane Thomas , Chairman
Members: Beeman Bond, Judy Hale , Clark Stank:oski , Wayne Griffin and Pandora
Heathcoe, City Human Resources Director.
Absent:
Kevin Boone , City Council Liaison.
The meeting was called to order at 9 :00 AM.
Chairman Thomas stated that the minutes of the September meeting needed some
changes and that revised minutes would be sent out before the next board meeting in
November. The revised September minutes and the October minutes will be presented for
approval at that meeting.
Next on the agenda was a discussion of the canceled post-disciplinary appeal hearing for
Brittany Hoover. Chairman Thomas stated that all pre-disciplinary steps had not been
completed before Ms . Hoover served her unpaid 5 day suspension. This problem has
occurred several times before in different departments of the City. The fact that this is a
recurring problem points to the need for in-service training for all department heads on
the steps involved in the disciplinary process. The Board recommended to Ms. Heathcoe
that she develop a simple flowchart similar to the one the Board approved for post-
disciplinary hearings and a checklist of the required steps in the disciplinary process as
outlined in the Personnel Handbook. Ms . Heathcoe stated that she thought these tools
together with a packet containing all the required disciplinary forms would be valuable to
use in in-service training with department heads. The Board is of the opinion that the
City has a good disciplinary process in place and that more education just needs to be
done with department heads and supervisors to be sure all are knowledgeable of and
following the guidelines.
A copy of the flowchart developed by the Board for Post-disciplinary appeals is attached
to these minutes.
Ms. Heathcoe then reviewed the steps that have been taken in the Brittany Hoover appeal.
Her department head , Sherry Sullivan , General Superintendent James Gillespie , and Ms .
Heathcoe met with Ms. Hoover. Ms. Sullivan informed Ms. Hoover that her five day
suspension without pay was being reversed and she would receive her wages for those 5
days. Ms. Sullivan reviewed the reasons for the suspension and added two more
infractions to Ms. Hoover's write-up. There are no further actions required of the
Personnel Board in this matter at this time.
Chairman Thomas reminded the members that Beeman Bond rotates off the Personnel
Board after the December meeting and that they should encourage fellow citizens that
they know have an interest in serving to apply for appointment. Ms. Heathcoe said she
would contact the Mayor to schedule recognition of Mr. Bond at a Council meeting for
his many years of service to the Personnel Board.
Ms. Heathcoe updated the Board on the HR department's efforts to improve safety in the
workplace . She has formed a Safety Committee composed of employees. After every
incident which is reported to Worker's Compensation, the employee responsible for the
accident comes before the safety committee to explain the causes and get the committees
recommendations for improvement. Ms. Heathcoe has also obtained safety training
videos to use with employees and is getting a professional trained in skid prevention to
conduct training for all employees operating city vehicles. She will continue to update
the Board on her efforts to reduce the recent increase in reportable worker's comp
incidents.
In the final item of business, Ms. Heathcoe said that the Mayor was reviewing the
Personnel Handbook for a final time and that she thought a draft would be available at the
November meeting for the Board to review.
Nest regularly scheduled meeting is November 22, 2013 at 9:00 AM in the Delchamps
Room of City Hall.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10: 15 AM.
Draft Personnel Board Disciplinary Appeal Process
September 21, 2012
Yes .
Request Appeal
Hearing with
Personnel Board
within 10 Working
Days
Schedule Hearing
Provide Employee
with Packet a
minimum of 2 days
before Hearing
Post Schedule
Announcement to
Public
Conduct Meeting
Present Board
Decicion to Mayor
within 10 Calendar
Days
y
(_En_d )
Draft Personnel Board Disciplinary Appeal Process
Refer Back to
No ► Appropriate
Department
Contains alll documentation
used by the City to support
case (photos , previous
disciplinary actions , etc.
1 of 2
Open Meeting
•
Provide Personnel
Board Members
with Copy of
Employee Packet
.,.
State Reason for
the Meeting
Yes
"
Request Outside
Parties to Leave
No
When circumstances
warrant , the board may
end the time periods for
pletion of the disciplinary
appeal process
Review Employee
Packet 1-----;
Allow approximately 15
minutes
.,.
Introduce Both
Parties
•
Direct Any
Witnesses Wait to
Wait Outside Until
Called
Brief Opening
Statement by Both
Parties
City Presents
Case
Employee
Presents Case
.,.
Additional
Questions and/or
Recall Any
Witnesses
.,.
Brief Closing
Remarks by Both
Parties
Board Deliberates
•
Agree/Disagree/
Modify
Record Vote on ► Form & All Sign
Draft Personnel Board Disciplinary Appeal Process 2 of 2