CLASSIFIED COUNCIL MINUTES

August 27, 2002

MEMBERS PRESENT: Bonnie Kelley, Secretarial/Clerical; Walter Kirk and Jo Ann Bright, Custodial; Russell Southworth and Doug Botkin, Maintenance; Bob Glass & Carolyn Sparks, Transportation; LaVerne Sallee, Food Service; Leigh Ann Hogue and Gail Grimes, Instructional Assistants.

ALTERNATES PRESENT: Pam Smith, Instructional Assistants

ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT: Dr. Duane Tennant, Superintendent; Doug Marshall, Budget and Staffing; Mary Browning, Physical Support Services and Elizabeth Simpson, Human Resources.

Bringing issues before the council: Each classified employment category has one or two representatives on the Council. Any classified employee wishing to submit a question or concern may do so in writing or speak directly to his or her representative. As a rule, names of those employees making inquiries are not disclosed to the Council as a whole, but the representative must know who has submitted the concern. Council members are not permitted to raise issues that they receive anonymously.

OLD BUSINESS: Responding to a previous question about who is to train new custodians, Mary Browning asked for more time in order to get with Terri Horn and Bill McGuire for a response.

Responding to a concern of instructional assistants being granted approval to work 180 days in order to receive retirement benefits, Dr. Tennant said he would bring this issue before SAC noting the cost to the district and putting it on the budget priority list.

Dates were approved for the Classified Council meetings for the 2002-03 school year. They are subject to change if the Superintendent is not available.

The dates are September 16, 2002, October 21, 2002, November 18, 2002, January 21, 2003, February 18, 2003, March 17, 2003, April 21, 2003, May 19, 2003, June 16, 2003. There will be no meeting in December.

NEW BUSINESS: Leigh Ann asked whether classified staff shall be paid for the extra 10 minutes added to the workday. Doug stated they are not being paid extra, that the workday is still seven hours and that only instructional time was lengthened. He suggested that the people involved work with the principal and perhaps they could come in 10 minutes later or if additional time were needed they would have to work with the SBDM for the funding. Leigh Ann explained that the classified staff are the people that assist with dismissal and what a hardship it causes the teachers to leave their classrooms full of children to load cars and buses. In addition, classified personnel must leave before the job is done because their time is up for the day and that causes even more confusion.

Pam Smith asked who updates the website so employees are made aware of cancellations or changes in times and dates for Classified Council meetings. Bonnie said the original dates are put on the website by Pete Koutoulas. He has not received them for this year until now because of the change of superintendents and dates could not be approved until the interim was appointed. The changes and cancellations are sent by Bonnie to each Classified Council representative via email. As previously discussed in meetings last year, we are going to try to get pictures and information giving location and contact information on each representative put on the website. New representatives will take office in November. We will try to get with whoever is to coordinate this and possibly have information and pictures done at the November meeting.

Carolyn Sparks & Doug Botkin had a concern over the changing of grades made in Department of Financial Services in May. Doug Marshall and Liz Simpson explained in detail the procedure which was followed to implement these changes. Doug also stated that the funding came from the department's budget. Wayne Smiley, Director of Financial Services was not aware that this was going to be brought up at the Council and he was not in attendance. He later offered the following explanation of what took place.

Beginning in the fall of 2001, Financial Services submitted several requests regarding staff. In mid January, Mr. Smiley was asked to assume the duties of Director of Financial Services, Mr. Rodney Jackson was asked to assume the duties of Associate Director of Financial Services and Ms. Brenda Carter and Ms. Sherry Price's jobs were expanded with the understanding that when the positions were graded by the committee, the change would be retroactive to the date of change. In March, the grading committee requested a department wide proposal from Financial Services. On April 10, 2002, Financial Services submitted their department wide proposal. The grading committee made the following recommendations to the Superintendent:

Payroll Lead Clerk -- Grade 19; Payroll Clerks (3) move from grade 14 to grade 15; Payroll Clerk (1) be reclassified as a Clerk Assistant at grade 14; Insurance Clerks -- 16 for lead clerk, 15 and 14 for the remaining two; Accounts payable -- 16 for lead clerk and grade 15 for the remaining clerks; Tax Clerks graded at 15; Tax Clerk Assistant -- grade 14; Account Clerk III to Bookkeeper grade 16; Budget Analyst Finance -- grade 18; Budget Analyst Grants -- grade 17.

Financial Services followed up the meeting with the grading committee with a meeting with the Superintendent. At that meeting, the Superintendent chose not to accept the following committee recommendations:

Payroll Lead Clerk was adjusted to grade 18, Insurance Clerk grade 14 was adjusted to grade 15; Budget Analyst Grants was adjusted to grade 18. 

In May, the Superintendent agreed to implement the recommended changes with the following exceptions:

Account Clerk III would be changed to Administrative Secretary grade 16 and the lead payroll clerk would be changed to a budget analyst payroll grade 18. Any creation of new positions would be put on hold until the restructuring of Central Office occurred.

Bob Glass reminded the administration of the need for new buses, especially when Financial Services received the re-grading of positions. Doug Marshall again reiterated that Financial Services bore the expense of the changes. Doug also said that Transportation needs to recognize the age of the bus fleet and be ready to somehow be able to purchase new buses and upgrade existing ones.

Walter Kirk asked why is it that when a head custodian resigns or retires, the new head custodian can't come in two days early to receive instructions on the procedures and location of needed information from the current custodian. Dr. Tennant and Mary Browning agreed to check into this. They do agree that the information would be helpful for a new employee. Dr. Tennant asked Doug to figure the cost.

Bonnie received a concern asking if Technology now allows some employees to work 10 hours per day/four days per week. Doug said that this was during summer months only and did not require confirmation changes. The person asking this question wanted to know if an employee could use a vacation day as the 5th day and if so would he or she be paid time and half. Doug stated that 10 hours a day for 4 days would have been their regular work week (for the summer), thus there is no 5th day and of course no overtime.

Bonnie also had another question asking what the procedure is for changing of grade on the single salary schedule. Doug Marshall explained that the employee needs to submit the rational for the change to their immediate supervisor. The supervisor submits it to the department director. The director then submits it to the Grading Committee. The Grading Committee meets and approves or disapproves and submits it to Superintendent. (There is a separate attachment from Liz Simpson referencing this information.)

Bonnie had another question as to who are the chairperson and committee members for the Single Salary Schedule. Wayne Young was the chairperson and at the current time, this committee is not in active status since the Single Salary Schedule as implemented 4 years ago. Bonnie believes this person wanted to know about the Grading committee instead of the Single Salary Committee. If so, the chairperson for the Grading Committee is Elizabeth Simpson. The administrators on the committee are Associate Director, Classified Personnel, Chair; Assistant to the Superintendent; 1 Administrator from Financial Services Department; 1 Administrator from Physical Support Services Department; 1 Administrator from Technology Department; 1 Administrator from law Enforcement Department; 1 Principal from High Schools; 1 Principal from Middle Schools, and 1 Principal from Elementary Schools. The final group of the Grading Committee is comprised of these same people plus representatives from the Classified Council who represent the category requesting a grade change. For example, if a custodian were to be re-graded, the Classified Council representative representing Custodians would be part of the meeting. 

Bonnie had an inquiry as to how Classified Council representatives are selected. Each individual category holds its own election. The terms are from November through October. One representative serves a two-year term, with one representative to serve as alternate. Some categories have two representatives and one alternate. The number of employees in each category determines the number of representatives serving on the Classified Council.

The sick leave bank is comprised of one administrator, two certified and two classified employees. At the current time, Bonnie Kelley is the chair until the committee meets and elects a new one.

Carolyn Sparks asked again about needing more space for drivers at the Liberty Road Bus location. Mary Browning will try to see if there is any possibility of freeing up any portables.

Carolyn Sparks also asked if the Board would consider making available to employees long term care benefits. Liz says she will follow up with Diana Marshall-Shoop.

The next Classified Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 16, 2002 at 5:30 PM in Conference Room A at Central Office.

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Last update: 2/20/2004 4:00:51 PM