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07/16/2014 Regular Meeting PERSONNEL ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES Regular Meeting July 16, 2014 The Personnel Advisory Board regular meeting of July 16, 2014 was called to order by PAB Chair Curt Law at 5:36 p.m. in the Kodiak Island Borough Conference Room. ROLL CALL Board Members Present Board Members Absent Lynn Bash Brenda Zawacki Lindsey Howell Tom Lacey Curt Law Board member Zawacki was excused. A quorum was established. Staff Present Bud Cassidy, Borough Manager Lauri Whiddon, HR Officer/Executive Assistant Others Present Karl Short Sharon Blakeslee Alan Torres Paul VanDyke Jeanne Miller Bob Pederson WELCOME OF BOARD MEMBERS AND GUESTS Chair Curt Law welcomed board members, staff and guests, and reminded guests to sign the attendance log. ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA The agenda was approved as submitted. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the March 5, 2014 meeting were approved as submitted. CITIZENS' COMMENTS (Iimited to three minutes per speaker) No citizens' comments. ITEMS OF BUSINESS Classification & Compensation Plan Implementation Update Manager Cassidy gave a brief presentation on the progress of the implementation of the classification/compensation plan. He also mentioned that the Borough had recently changed health insurance plans that will realize savings for the Borough and employees. The Manager responded to questions from the Board as follows: • The new health insurance plan is comparable to the previous plan; Personnel Advisory Bard July 16,2014 Page 1 of 3 • Fox Lawson will handle the first appeals, if any, to be used as a Iearning process for staff, and Borough staff would handle appeals once trained; • The appeals process applies to non-union employees at this point because it has been approved by the Assembly, but not yet approved by the union; • We will most likely utilize the time-frame suggested by FLA on their sample appeal form; • Reviews of job descriptions can be done in departments by using the process already in place; • From a management standpoint, there are a number of department heads who would Iike to restructure their departments, however, until the classification/compensation plan is approved, any changes for union positions will remain on hold; • The draft appeal form was provided to the Union Business Representative; • Department Heads are a key part of the process of achieving the goals and objectives of their departments and the Borough, and are very much a part of updating job descriptions in their department; • The Assembly has made the determination through adoption of the Ordinance that the Manager makes the final determination in the approval of job descriptions, as part of his/her responsibilities in his/her role in personnel management; the Manager works for the Assembly and this system is not a system that should pit the PAB against the Manager; • Clarification of the duties of the Board; • The appeal form addresses classification, to ensure that the type and level of work has been assigned to the most appropriate classification; • While the boilerplate of the FLA appeal form is good, it will be used to develop a Kodiak Island Borough version of the form; • The PAB does not get involved with the union meetings; • There are incentives to having the plan approved: there a number of positions that are below market and this plan brings those positions up to market— it is a matter of fairness that all positions be paid at market rate; there is a 3 1/2% increase between steps on the new scale as opposed to 2 1/2%. • We are currently operating with two salary schedules and will continue to do so if the plan is not approved by the union. CITIZENS' COMMENTS Paul VanDyke spoke in favor of progressing with the implementation of the classification /compensation plan for all Borough employees, adding that the delay is hampering progress. Sharon Blakeslee commented on the role of the PAB in the process of reviewing current and new positions; and the appeal form. MANAGER'S COMMENTS Manager Cassidy said that currently things are not absolutely clear because it is new, but he added that we will work through the process as we continue to implement the plan. With regard to restructuring departments, things have been on hold for over a year to a year and a half now. He mentioned that the Board represents everyone - union or non- union, adding that job descriptions are approved by the PAB. He added that it is management's effort to treat all Borough employees the same under the same rules so that payroll or HR is easier to administer. The Manager added that this process allows for positions to be reviewed, and with the old process eliminated, those positions are stuck Personnel Advisory Board July 16,2014 Page 2 of 3 where they are, with not much flexibility, but added that it is for union members to decide. Manager Cassidy said that the Assembly approved the Board's recommendation unanimously, setting policy with that approval, and we have moved forward with implementation. BOARD MEMIBERS' COMMENTS Lynn Bash said that she has studied the plan, it is a huge project and study affecting so many lives and people, and after thirty years, participating in and completing the study, it is a wonderful step in the right direction. She added that whether union, non-union or management, everyone wants the same thing — equality — and if everyone has that in mind, she said that the process may have a few bumps along the way, but it should go along just fine. Lindsey Howell agreed with Lynn Bash adding that she agrees that there are a lot of opportunities for the Board to be involved. She added that while she joined the Board toward the end of the process, she commended staff for the way things were handled and is pleased that it went through. Tom Lacey stated that some employees are concerned about the unknown, that maybe some of their questions were not being answered, but that it sounds like some things are being addressed and worked out. Curt Law stated that he is pleased to see that this is moving forward, that employees are coming to meetings and expressing their comments and concerns showing that the Board is not working in a vacuum. He thanked the Board and staff for their hard work. NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be tentatively scheduled for October 15, 2014. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted: } a ri Whiddon, Secretary Curt Law, Chair r PeApproved_0 D Personnel Advisory Board July 16,2014 Page 3of3