Clerk Shelagh VanderVeen’s hopes of hiring a Human Resources Director were shattered when the Independence Township board voted 4-3, May 19, to postpone discussions.
‘I was very disappointed with the outcome I’ve worked so hard on this over these last months,? VanderVeen said.
VanderVeen began searching for an HR director in January. After getting more than 200 resumes, all of who she said were all ‘highly qualified? candidates, VanderVeen narrowed the resumes down to 37. She asked the Oakland County HR Department for help in selecting, and they narrowed it down to eight.
A committee, which included VanderVeen, Supervisor Dave Wagner, Trustee Larry Rosso, and Township Labor Attorney Greg Shultz, interviewed the eight remaining candidates and narrowed it down to three. Since then, board members have had the opportunity to meet them.
Rosso said the previous administration had informally discussed getting an HR director.
‘What really raised our concern of not having an HR person were the unfortunate employee lawsuits that came about,? he said. ‘We found out the reason for those lawsuits was we didn’t have the appropriate personnel manual, and we didn’t have an in-house HR person who could guide us in the appropriate way of handling employee dismissals or terminations.?
In a memo to the board, VanderVeen said the township paid $111,780 to the labor attorney for lawsuits since 2006, and $313,608 for three employee lawsuit settlements.
‘The person’s salary and benefit package will far outweigh what we have already cost this government,? Rosso said. ‘This is the one area that probably needs in my opinion the most professionalism is in this one area of handling employment.?
Wagner said the supervisor’s office is in charge of all personnel, with exception of deputy clerk and deputy treasurer, but he said the supervisor can ‘push off responsibilities to someone other than himself,? which he said had been done prior to him being supervisor.
An HR director would relieve the clerk’s office of many personnel issues and allow them to fulfill their actual job duties. However, he would still be in charge of all personnel and the HR director would be the number two person, he said.
Some of the HR duties would include assisting employees with benefits, compiling reports for the board, supervisor and other governmental agencies, analyzing accounts, projects, expenses, charges and budgets, and consulting with department heads and the supervisor concerning labor and personnel issues.
A salary range was set between $55,000 and $77,000, plus benefits.
‘I believe this is the right thing to do,? Wagner said. ‘How it’s going to be funded is that we are going to pull money out of fund balance, which is there. How it’s going to be portioned is based on the number of employees in each department, they will pay that percentage.?
Trustee David Lohmeier said he was in favor of an HR director but had issues with an unclear ‘reporting structure,? funding, and how it would it affect the budget.
‘In the business world, you define the position. You say ‘we need it, here’s what it is, here is what we are going to pay for it and where we are going to fund it. Now let’s go hire somebody,?? he said. ‘We are doing it exactly the opposite way.?
Lohmeier also felt the HR director should have ‘broad authority? and report to the board.
Trustee Neil Wallace agreed.
‘This person needs to have more authority than just to provide guidance because that guidance can be ignored,? Wallace said. ‘A department head could be criticized, reprimanded, or whatever else by the HR person and if we don’t change it any different, then what is being proposed the supervisor could over rule that.?
Wallace did not agree with proportioning the money among departments. Dipping into dedicated millages to cover administrative cost he said was a “fraud upon the taxpaying public.”
However, Rosso was concerned with losing all three candidates if they postponed making a decision that night.
‘We know we’re going to pay the person out of the general fund to begin with,? he said. ‘How we structure this in the budget that actually can wait and even though that’s probably not the best approach, it can work.?
Treasurer Curt Carson also voiced concerns with funding.
‘It’s a township function, which we need to have, but how that’s going to happen needs to be delineated before we pursue anything,? he said.
After the vote to postpone, VaderVeen said she would be ‘withdrawing from the process entirely? and leave the decision to the board.
‘I have never been so frustrated because I see the problem, I see the solution and I can’t accomplish it, that’s why I had to remove myself from it because I feel like I’ve gone as far as I can,? she said in a later interview. ‘Personally I don’t think it will ever happen.?