AGENDA #4d

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Budget Amendment for Recruitment Services for Human Resources Director Position

 

DATE:             August 27, 2001

 

 

The attached budget ordinance would amend the 2001-2002 budget for the Human Resources Department to fund recruitment and screening services for the position of Human Resources Director.  The amendment would appropriate $15,000 from fund balance in the General Fund to the Human Resources Department for this project.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Human Resources Director Pat Thomas is retiring December 31st, after more than 20 years of service with the Town.  This position is a key member of the Town’s management team because of the close working relationship with employees, supervisors and management.  We want to conduct a comprehensive and nationwide search for candidates to fill this important position.

 

We have engaged the services of Slavin Management Consultants, a management consulting and executive search firm from Norcross, Georgia, to assist us in the recruitment and screening process. Slavin Management has worked with the Town in other capacities in the past, including overseeing the successful search process for a new Transportation Director and in working with the Council and employees to revise the Town’s pay structure.  They have also worked with a number of local governments across the country to fill key management positions. Recently Mr. Slavin worked with the City of Durham’s process to select a new City Manager.

 

Ms. Thomas announced her retirement after the budget was adopted in late June.  The timing of her decision precluded inclusion of any funds for this search process in the 2001-2002 budget.  In addition, my decision to engage Mr. Slavin’s services was made after the last Council meeting in July.  I believe that their assistance in working with us in the time-consuming initial stages of the recruitment and screening process will be especially helpful during the fall when other priorities such as the review of the University’s development plans will also be demanding the attention of the management team. 

 

In this project, Slavin Management will conduct a nationwide recruitment process and assist me in identifying good candidates for the position; they would also conduct screening interviews and background checks on  candidates.  Top candidates will then be brought to Chapel Hill for a final assessment process involving input from a variety of people including employees, members of management and citizens knowledgable about contemporary human resources issues.

 

The attached budget ordinance would increase the Professional Services budget of the Human Resources Department to fund the work by Slavin Management.  Cost of the work with Mr. Slavin will be approximately $10,000 to 12,000 in professional services and $3,000 in travel expenses for on-site interviews with candidates.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

We recommend that the Council approve the attached amendment to the 2001-2002 budget.

 

 

 

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2001 (2001-08-27/O-2)

 

BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Budget Ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Concerning Appropriations and the Raising of Revenue for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2001” as duly adopted on June 25, 2001 be and the same is hereby amended as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

                                                Current                                                 Revised

APPROPRIATIONS               Budget             Increase           Decrease          Budget

 

                       

GENERAL FUND

 

          Human Resources                 525,850     15,000                                     540,850

 

 

ARTICLE II

 

REVENUES

 

GENERAL FUND

         Fund Balance                        805,000     15,000                                     820,000

 

 

 

This the 27th day of August, 2001.