HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-08-26-PAB-rpt.pdf August 26, 1974
PERSONNEL ADVISORY BOARD
TOWN OF LEXINGTON
REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Since your appointment of the Personnel Advisory Board on May 13, 1974,
we have met a dozen times examining strategic and specific requirements for
action growing out of the Enabling Document of Record of the Selectmen and
the Appropriations Committee dated January 21, 1974 This interim report
with its recommendation focuses on a course of action we now think would be
highly desirable for the short term. We understand the Selectmen and the
Town Manager have been in recent discussion evaluating options now available,
and before a final conclusion is reached, we appreciate the opportunity to
present these ideas for consideration
Since this is our first official report to you, there are several obser-
vations we have reached in our initial deliberations which are basic to our
current thinking and we feel may be useful to summarize
1 The Town of Lexington is a good employer, but is now faced with
both internal and external forces not subject to its control as an
employer, which will require proactive rather than reactive response
from the "executive" (Board of Selectmen and Town Manager) Labor
relations problems under the new collective bargaining statute, long
overdue attention to equal opportunity for minorities and women, and
growth of complexity in public sector employment contribute to these
pressures Management patterns of the past will need to change in
order to be fully effective in the future Balancing interests of
employees and taxpayers will demand increased attention and a top-
notch management team dedicated to its tasks while seeking out the
best tools to get the job done
2 Quick reflex response to presently perceived personnel issues with
all proverbial guns blazing in every direction will not be the most
effective response Selection of goals and timing of their imple-
mentation will be critical Transition to a planned personnel pro-
gram may take two to three years of steady effort.
3 Morale of all town staff will be pivotal in these months ahead -
managers as well as employees The reservoir of talent and good
will of these people should be recognized as a valuable asset.
Efforts should be made to harness it for mutually constructive pur-
poses - for the Town and for the individual Once lost, it will
not be easily recaptured
4 Lexington can be a model employer and should be It is cost effec-
tive for us and can contribute as a guide to other towns with less
resources but the same problems Providing maximum services for total
payroll dollars expended can be a goal of both the Town and its employ-
ees if sufficient attention is paid to how an individual employee with
potential can develop and contribute to how the work is done Being
a model employer is an attainable goal but will not just happen It
will require a strategic decision that it is something we want to do
and will devote time and energy toward, not just rhetoric
5 Under the Town Manager form of government, a Citizens' Personnel
Advisory Board can perform a useful advisory and consulting function
but cannot be a substitute for direct management of the personnel
function Over time careful attention to the checks and balances re-
quired organizationally should clarify the roles and responsibilities
of those appropriately involved with the personnel function
Although this may seem to indicate we have reached specific conclusions
in several areas, it is not intended to do so, but rather to indicate the general
direction of our exploration and thinking We now have a better appreciation for
the scope of the assignment given to us and the need for everyone - Selectmen,
Town Manager, this and other committees - to know more before final plans are
adopted to structure organizationally the best approach to personnel administra-
tion for the Town But we do not mean to suggest delay before taking any action
Rather, we think there is an alternative course which has much to offer and will
advance our efforts quickly, although in a modified and less visible fashion.
Instead of the attempted appointment of a new personnel director at the
earliest date to grapple with a combination of tasks easily beyond the likely
capability of one professional person to perform all at once and up to our level
of expectation, we think the appointment of a part-time internal consultant/
director coaching present personnel but without preordained results will enable
the compensation and classification project to go forward on schedule under the
direction of an outside consulting firm, provide project leadership to estab-
lish both personnel and organizational manuals, allow for more reliable assess-
ment of personnel policy questions through open communications among all in-
volved, and release the Town Manager to devote more time to collective bargain-
ing issues It seems likely to us that increased professional backup here will
be necessary during the next round of negotiations because of the new law and
its possible impact
Budgetwise, except for the labor relations consultant, unless this provided
for elsewhere, this course of action can be accommodated within a reallocation
of authorized funds
Therefore, we recommend that the essence of the discussion draft dated
August 6, 1974 from Neil Chapman to Walter O'Connell be adopted in principle
and negotiations be sanctioned to conclude an acceptable arrangement for Mr
Chapman to become the part-time consultant for the immediate future, possibly
for a twelve to eighteen month term.
This is not a permanent solution or substitute for the eventual appointment
of a personnel director It will, however, give the Town immediately the full
range of experience of a resident uniquely qualified by over thirty years of
extensive professional personnel background to coordinate the necessary steps
to get on with tasks outlined and at the same time to gather observations and
background which will enable the new position of personnel director to be even-
tually established in such a way to ensure its success During the interim,
recruitment of candidates within the Town and outside can continue as the posi-
tion is shaped to meet our standards and requirements
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The Personnel Advisory Board will benefit greatly, too, from the added in-
sight acquired by Mr Chapman. If in this capacity he were not to continue as
a member of the Board, we would anticipate his regular availability to us in
our work ahead.
All in all, we conclude unanimously that much can be accomplished by our
engaging his services and urge that this be given quick attention before this
unique opportunity is lost
Respectfully submitted,
ohn B Butler
Chairman