HR updates SB on job description review
BELCHERTOWN – The Selectboard weighed in on one of the goals and objectives Town Administrator Steve Williams is already pursuing – a job description update and salary study.
Williams said he wanted to come to the board to present two estimates for a job description overview and was looking for direction from the board about the project.
Board members emphasized the importance of the study and provided insight into what they believed the study should include such as organizational review, reducing redundancy and other issues.
On Monday, HR Director Joanne Misiaszek, provided the board with more information on the study. She told the board she spoke with the HR consulting firm that did the last study in 2011 and received multiple quotes for different project scopes.
For a “full-blown” study that would include benefits, comparing other communities, reviewing job descriptions and other aspects, would be $33,000 for about 100 positions. For a job descriptions class study, to see if jobs would need to be adjusted based on class or grade, it would be $18,000. Then to review all job descriptions and update them as needed would be $15,000.
“Something to consider is what we do comparable to other communities to see how mar-ketable we are, how our jobs and salaries compare with other communities. It’s a tough market right now,” Misiaszek said.
“If we have more competitive salaries, we get a better candidate pool.” If the board opted to do just a job description review, the consultant would meet with employees to talk about their job duties, look at how it matches their job description and provide the board with a presentation on its findings.
She said another aspect of the study would include internal equity – making sure current employees have the possibility of a regrade. “If we want her to stick within $20,000 on salary adjustments, if that were part of the results, we would need to look at how to project that,” she said.
Selectboard member Jen Turner said when she thought of the study, she was under the impression there would be an organization development review. “It looks at all of the jobs created over the years and makes sure we have the right organizational structure,” Turner said.
Selectboard member Lesa Lessard Pearson said she didn’t see having compensation as part of the project’s scope when the town is working to get rid of a structural deficit. “I see it as, our overall effectiveness, if there’s any redundancy. We want to meet the needs and expectations of the residents by streamlining operations,” she said.
When asked how many full-time employees the town has, Misiaszek said she didn’t know off the top of her head.
Williams said the budget scenarios presented did not include the request the members made, and it may take longer to get an updated quote. When Williams asked if the board wanted to include the schools in the estimate, Selectboard Chair Ed Boscher said he didn’t; that option was readily available.
“During the budgetary process, the schools are part of that, but once the money is allocated, the schools can make changes,” he said. “It’s difficult.” When asked about whether the board wanted to look at part-time employees, Boscher said he didn’t think that was important.
“We haven’t looked at this in many, many, many years. Given the constraints we’re faced with, these are things we have to be honest with the community,” he said. “All of the information through an organizational chart would be outstanding work.”
