HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 02-28 Maplewood City Council abolishes position of personnel director THE REVIEW Maplewood City Council abolishes
i,, position ofersonnel directorp
\ By MELANIE WAAGE following; affirmative action program, "Examples of such programs are a
tio\ working with department heads in per- formal written performance of em-
A council initiated act to abolish the sonnel choices, instigating training ployees, appraisal of system, job
existing position of personnel director programs and union negotiations. descriptions, a training policy, new
was endorsed unanimously by the "I believe the council felt there was no employee orientation, employee coun-
rMaplewood city council at their Feb. 15 reason to have the position anymore," seling and the affirmative action
meeting. Blank said. program."
"WE DIDN'T THINK we needed the The position was originally created in Hirsch said that heads of departments
position with the number of city em- 1975, in order to answer the needs of the are so "incredibly busy" with their own
ployees we have," Mayor John Greavu organization.The first personnel director functions, she finds it hard to imagine
said. "With only 105 employees, I believe was JoAnn Christensen, who held the them following through with personnel
the duties can be delegated to each position from January 1975 to August 1977. functions.
department. Each can take care of their The current personnel director,Sandra
own. After all, each department head is Hirsch, began in September 1977. "BUT THE council feels the city is too
closest to what they want in an employee. "As I saw the needs of the organization, small to warrant a personnel director,"
They write up the job description." there were two primary areas of con- Hirsch said.
The personnel director was getting paid cern," Hirsch said. "The first was the "I feel the position is definitely needed.
roughly $20,000 a year to take care of increasing unionization, and second, the My workload is very heavy. I feel a full-
duties that the department_heads can need for equal employment opportunities, time clerical person could be used. I
handle,Greavu said. He listed her duties "THIS ACTION IS unfortunate for the currently have one-third of a secretary."
as payroll, vacations, sick leave, and organization. Many personnel programs As for her personal plans after March 2,
training. implemented by the former city Hirsch wants to continue in her profession
When the acting city manager Eric manager,Mike Miller,may be neglected as a personnel administrator, and is
Blank was asked what the personnel without a functional area to administer looking at some possibilities in the privat
directors duties were, he listed the them, sector. //