Some disagreement on interpretation in the Iola city employee’s new proposed personnel manual have stalled its completion yet again. IN OTHER NEWS:
The manual, which has been “one year in the works,” City Administrator Carl Slaugh said, has been examined and re-worked by the employee task force. While the manual as a whole was agreeable to council members, the section regarding personal paid days off led to some confusion.
For beginning employees, the city provides two personal paid days off in addition to 11 days off for federal holidays and vacation time.
At issue is how personal paid days off are figured.
Any overtime worked may be paid to the employee or taken in time off, based on the amount of hours worked. Compensatory time off is regulated by the hours completed — an 8-hour, 16-hour and 24-hour shift depending on which department of the city the employee works for.
Personal paid days off are two “floating holidays,” or 16 hours per year.
“I think one is contradicting the other,” Council member Steve French said.
French said his concern is that an employee working a 24-hour shift, firefighters to be exact, will actually be working three times as much as an employee working an 8-hour shift. Therefore, the paid days off should reflect the amount of hours worked, not just a “calendar day.”
“It’s hard to write a manual that is interpreted by everyone the same way,” Slaugh said.
The other change affecting the personnel manual is that employees will not be randomly tested for drugs. According to national law, Slaugh said it is “not a constitutional provision” for city employees to be tested without cause.
There are three main instances in which an employee may be tested for drugs:
— If an employee is working in a “safety related” department (police department, fire department) they may be tested at any time.
— If there is reasonable suspicion that an employee is taking drugs, they may be tested.
— If there is some sort of accident, such as a car wreck on the job, the employee may be tested.
— Don Erbert, a resident in Country Estates, came before the council to address concerns about living conditions in the area.
“It’s actually in pretty good shape,” Erbert said. “We’re actually a thriving little community.”
He said there is a misconception that the sewer issues are rampant in the area, which is in consideration to be annexed by the city, and he believes the subdivision is being taken care of by the county.
WAS THERE ANY ACTION BY THE CITY ON THIS?
— A motion was passed to accept the 2012 audit report.
— Russell Beth came before the council to request official sponsorship for the Elks’ 4th of July fireworks show. With official city sponsorship, there is no sales tax on the fireworks purchased. A motion was passed for sponsorship, barring any complications with Beth’s license certification for the show. He has been doing the fireworks show for several years.
— A motion was passed to accept a grant application for Phase One of Safe Routes to School. The grant could allow up to $12,000 with a 20 percent match from the city.
— The Iola Fire Department was recently awarded a grant for $147,609 to be spent on air packs for the firefighters. The council passed a motion to allow the grant to be accepted. The bid was won by Feld Fire for a total of $106,595. The remaining funds may be used on any equipment that aids the use of the air packs.
— A motion was passed to apply for a grant through the Community Oriented Policing Services program, or COPS. The grant funds would be used to hire an additional officer for three years, the fourth year being paid by the city, to address drug crimes in the city.
— A bid was selected to purchase a new 15-kilovolt breaker for the Oak Street substation, amounting to $41,820. The winning bid was placed by Mid-States Energy Works, Inc., out of Salina.
— A request for payment was approved for the Community Development Block Grant for the rehabilitation of the program’s final two houses — it amounted to $41,820. Through the grant program, the city rehabilitated 16 houses and demolished two others.
City personnel manual stalled
