Employee Forum Minutes

September 8, 2005

Library Conference Room

Members Present: Ann Brown, Ceberettia Hinton, Chris Blue, Deborah Squires, Donnie Rhoads, Dorice Johnson, Jerry Neville, Kristi McClellan, Maggie Burnett, Terry Gearhart, Wendy Walsh, Will Quick.

Absent: Planning Rep, Amy Harvey, Charles Bynum, Chelsea Laws, Jackie Thompson, Jonathan Bell, Lee Harris, Norman Clark, Traval Watkins, Wes Tilghman.

Guests: Lisa Edwards, Human Resources

Opened: 9:15 am

Minutes approved.

New Items:

• Hurricane Katrina-

The Red Cross is soliciting volunteers to assist with administrative and clerical help. Volunteers will be trained in one day. The question arose that if people from the Town volunteer to help the Red Cross and travel to Louisiana/Mississippi, will the Town compensate employees? Lisa Edwards will research and report findings to the Forum.

The Manager has stated that the Employee Forum may be a mechanism for collecting funds for hurricane relief. Forum members were asked to pass this along to employees.

Also, the United Way will now have a designation that will allow people to donate directly to hurricane relief.

• Town of Chapel Hill A-Z guides were passed out at the meeting. Representatives are asked to disperse them in their departments.

• The Employee Forum election process starts September 15^th. Letters and nomination forms will be sent to departments who need to elect new representatives.

• Lunch and Learn attendance is low. Human Resources asked the Forum for feedback. Do we still want to provide this service? What are the problems? Should we do seasonal Lunch and Learns instead of once a month?

Transit representatives stated that for the bus operators, it’s a matter of drivers not being able to get off shift to go. The maintenance division is understaffed at the moment so they have difficulty going.

Conducting a survey was suggested. Chris Blue offered to come up with one and the Forum will discuss ideas to distribute.

Pay Plan Review Committee:

Several people from the Town have applied to be on the Pay Plan Review Committee. The Council will make final approval. The final deadline to apply is September 16^th, so the members of the Forum decided not to recommend anyone since the group will not meet until next month. The selection process will be over by then.

Computer Loan Program:

The following people were randomly drawn to receive used computers from the Town for a period of one year:

John McKerlie

Allison Finch

Jackie Thompson

Jim Orbich

Jim Huegerich

Charles Bullock

Roy Richardson

Martha Adamo

Tanita Howard

Carla Burnette

Town Talk Ideas:

• Announce the winners of the Computer Loan Program drawing.
• Letter from the Forum Chair about the Employee Forum, purpose and accomplishments.

Proposal for the Employee Discount Program and Supplemental Insurance:

Both proposals will be presented to the Manager by the Forum Chair this month.

Work Group Summaries:

• Benefits:

Complete AFLAC proposal for Chair to present to the Manager. May begin to work on Tuition Reimbursement. If the amount were more, more employees would utilize the benefit. Will be discussing ideas to communicate benefits to employees. Identify more issues to work on.

• Education:

Met outside of Forum to discuss New Employee Forum Member orientation pamphlet. Decided on the format and will meet again later in September to finish. Goal is to have completed pamphlet by the October Forum meeting and have the final version ready by November.

• Communication:

Find letter from last year’s computer loan program to notify individuals who have won. Edit and send out. Talked more about employee recognition and ideas to propose and implement.

• Policy:

No longer pursuing donating sick time to family members. Will look at Town policy manual to see if  there is anything that needs attention.

            Agenda Items for September:

• Review New Employee Forum Members orientation pamphlet from Education work group
• Employee Forum Attendance issues
• Lunch and Learn-Did anyone collect information? Should we go forward with developing a survey?
• Hurricane Relief
• Town Talk ideas

Next meeting hosted by Housing on October 13, 2005

Adjourned: 11:00am