Employee Forum Meeting

Thursday, March 13, 2003

9:00a.m. Library Meeting Room

 

Members Present:   Deborah Squires, Brigid Cox, Ann(Maggie) Brown, Amy Edwards, Felix Block, Iris Schwintzer, Rodney Watson, David Sasser,, Mona Nazir, Lisa Edwards, MaryJean Williams,  Amy Harvey,

Than Austin, Chelsea Laws, Susie Whaley, Traval Watkins, Kelly Stokes

 

Members Absent:   Rodney Watson, Bernard Leach, Maggie Burnett, Leanne Mikels, George Long, Jeff Clark

 

Others Present: Annisa Graham-Davis

 

Annisa Graham-Davis opened the meeting with discussion of how the group wanted to elect officers.  It was suggested that the group ask for volunteers for the three officer positions, and offer nominations. It was also agreed that the nomination would be accepted if the person was in favor of serving for the term.

 

Nominations/volunteers were as follows:

 

Chair:                Felix Block

                        (No other nominations were made)

 

Vice-chair:         Amy Harvey (volunteered)

                        Debra Squires

                        Mary Jean Williams

 

Secretary/Treasurer:

                        Lisa Edwards

                        Than Austin

                        Susie Whaley

 

Votes were taken for the Vice-chair and Secretary/Treasurer position by secret ballot and given to and tallied by Annisa Graham-Davis. 

Amy Harvey was elected as Vice-chair and Susie Whaley as Secretary/Treasure.

 

Felix Brock proceeded conducting the meeting. 

Felix expressed that he looks forward to working with all the members and hopes that the Employee Forum will be a group that produces results.  He feels that the towns’ management takes the group seriously and that we have an opportunity to make a difference.  He feels that our first objective should be to prioritize and consolidate the list of issues and goals that we listed in our first meeting and to form committees to work on particular areas.

Additional issues were brought up that members felt should be added to or expounded upon our original list of issues and goals are as follows:

• re-establish Spanish classes for employees
• Make communication a top priority
• Decide how the Employee Forum will communicate our mission/purpose, and progress to all town employees
• Making an “open door policy”  a reality (#15)
• Hold department or division retreats to increase team building and to air issues
• Specific department that may benefit from work force sensitivity training (#5)
• A pro-active approach to  improving employee health
• Replacement of the Wellness/Health Occupations person
• Look at how other organizations and municipalities have improved their employee relations issues (Human Resources will look into this)

 

Next meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 26 at Town Hall in the first floor conference room at 9:00a.m.

Proposed agenda items for next meeting:

• Combine issues and goals discussed from the 2/26 and 3/13 meetings
• Identify 4-6 categories that the goals and issues can be separated into and form committees to identify objectives, etc.
• Discuss the day we hold meetings