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03-27-1985 ,-,. l (.) o CITY OF EDGEWATER Merit Board March 27, 1985 Minutes Chairman Billups called the Merit Board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. ROLL CALL Betty Billups Walter Gross Cecelia Stevens Anthony Fanale Frank Carignan Present Present Present Present Present APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Gross moved to approve the February 27, 1985 minutes. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Stevens and CARRIED 5-0. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN Mrs. Billups pointed out that the By-laws call for election of officers in January. This is the first meeting when every member has been present, she noted, but in June most of the members will go off the Board. The members agreed to proceed with the election. Mrs. Billups opened the floor for nomination of Chairman. Mrs. Stevens nominated Mr. Carignan. Mr. Gross said because Mr. Carignan represents the city employees he did not think he could be chairman. Mrs. Stevens withdrew that nomination and nominated Mr. Fanale for Chairman. Mr. Carignan seconded the nomination. There were no other nominations. Mrs. Stevens moved that nominations for Chairman be closed. Mr. Gross seconded the motion. Upon vote Mr. Fanale was UNANIMOUSLY elected Chairman. Mrs. Billups opened the floor for nomination of Vice Chairman. Mrs. Stevens nominated Mrs. Billups for Vice Chairman. Mr. Carignan seconded the motion. There were no other nominations for Vice Chairman. Mrs. Stevens moved to close nominations, seconded by Mr. Gross, and this motion CARRIED 5-0. Mrs. Billups was UNANIMOUSLY elected Vice Chairman. OLD BUSINESS - Recommendation regarding probationary period for promoted employees. Mr. Carignan reviewed the recommendation that the probationary period for promoted employees be reduced to 30 days, stating that at the last meeting he was asked to contact both sides. He did contact the Union representative and was advised that an amendment to the contract would need to be filed with the Union and the City Council, and it would have to be approved by the members of the Union and the City Council, therefore he did not go any further. Mr. Gross asked if he should not talk to the City Council before going any further. Mr. Carignan said that he will have to but the Merit Board will have to write up what the resolution will be in order to present it to them. Mr. Gross said that his motion was to eliminate probation entirely. He said the reason was that any department head who wanted to raise or reclassi- fy a person working for him wouldn't need 30 days to find out if that person was going to do the job or not. Mr. Fanale reviewed the minutes of the last meeting where he (Mr. Fanale) stated that the motion should include that this should be brought up at renegotiation time. The motion was restated to change the plan from 90 days probation to 30 days probation for promoted personnel only, and a letter has to be sent to the City Council for their discussion. It was agreed to leave the 90 days for newcomers. Mr. Gross said he is definitely opposed to having a 30 day probation for promoted personnel. Mr. Frank Carignan said the reason for the 30 days was to give both sides time to accept or reject the promotion. This was discussed at length. Mr. Carignan remarked that the Board's job is to make a decision for all, not a specific job. There are some jobs in which probation is necessary. Mrs. Stevens asked Mr. Carignan how he felt, as a City employee, with the 30 days probation and Mr. Carignan responded that the 90 days was a put down. Mr. Fanale recommended that a letter be written to the City Council outlining the proposal. Mr. Carignan said that the Board must state in the letter what --- ~ '-> o will be presented. Mr. Gross moved to write a letter to the City Council and to give them two courses: 1) a new employee to have 90 days probation, and 2) a reclassified employee who has been with the same supervisor or department head will be on probation for a period of time to be set by the City Council, i.e. whether it should be 30 days or have an immediate pay increase on the recom- mendation of the department head. Mr. Fanale said that the Board has already made a decision on that. The letter to the City Council dated March 12, 1985, advising that the Board recommends that the Merit Plan be changed to indi~ate that the probationary period for promoted personnel be 30 days, was read lnto the record. Mr. Carignan said that this will be an amendment to the contract if it is approved by both parties. Mr. Carignan said that he has read the contracts between the City and the unions and there is nothing which says that the Merit Board is accepted by the labor agreement. He is of the opinion that it should be in there in case of arbitration. Mr. Gross advised that Mrs. Kinsey has said the Merit Board has no authority to make any decisions that relate to union contracts. The Merit Board can only make recommendations to the Council. The procedure for recommending changes to the contracts was discussed further. Mr. Carignan said this is the first time he has read a contract which does not mention the rate of payor the pay scale. Mr. Carignan said that he contacted both the union and Council and they asked that the Board's letter of recommendation go to both the union and the Council. The letter did go to Council but it was disregarded apparently, he stated, and called to their attention the letter from the City Clerk dated March 13. The members recommended that the letter of March 12 be resent to Council with a copy to the labor unions. This recommendation was considered and discussed further and the question arose whether or not the Board should make direct contact with the unions. It was finally agreed that the handling of the matter should be left in the hands of the City Clerk/Administrator. Job description for Lieutenant Mr. Gross stated that the City Council has accepted the Board's recommendation that the job description for the position of lieutenant remain identical to the job description for the deputy police chief and that the position start at a grade 16. He informed the members that Mr. Lary, with the City of New Smyrna Beach, will be asked to administer the test. Merit Increase - February, 1985 Mrs. Billups reviewed the report of the merit increases for February, noting that there were three evaluations and three merit increases. MISCELLANEOUS The matter of the recommendation regarding a reduction in the probationary period for promoted employees was reviewed again by Mr. Gross. He said that it is his understanding that any letter of communications goes to Connie Kinsey and she reads the letter to the Council and Council makes the decision. Mr. Finale pointed out that she has written the letter but they have not been responded to, so it is up to her to see someone in the Council and find out why ~hey didn't act on it. Mr. Gross said that she did mention something about probation, but not a letter. Mr. Fanale said that Mr. Carignan will talk to Mrs. Kinsey and see if they will put it on the agenda for the next meeting and make decisions on it at that time. Connie Kinsey's position as it relates to the Merit Board was reviewed. Mr. Gross said that she does not sit as an advisor at a Board meeting. But by being a supervisor she can attend all of the meetings. As a guest she can attend all of the meetings. Connie Kinsey does not make a decision; the Merit Board is the only one to make the decision and then we will turn it over to the Council. Mr. Carignan said that he will see that the secretary sends this letter to the City Council. Mr. Gross said he would like to know why it's not put on the agenda. Mr. Gross moved to request the Council to assign a secretary to be present during the meeting to handle the tape and other incidentals that come up the same as any other board in the City. They have someone to open the meeting, Merit Board March 27, 1985 - 2 - ~ o o run the tape and they are responsible for the tape. Mr. Fanale said that he agrees with this 100 percent. As a member of the Board, Mr. Carignan should not be doing all of that work. Mr. Fanale seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED 5-0. Mr. Fanale moved that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Stevens and CARRIED 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8 p.m. Minutes prepared by Joan Taylor Merit Board March 27, 1985 - 3 -