HR Director Panel Public Meeting 5-7-2020 @10:00AM
Oh hold on i'm gonna mute. Sorry guys i got some background, noise. Uh we're gonna start our meeting uh for the appointing authorities, uh to discuss the hr director. Uh barry i'm gonna turn it over to you now and uh we can get started, i don't know where. We are missing some participants, i'm not sure where yeah and can i add, um. Barry before you get on, i mentioned, julie is unable to join us this morning, she has a conflict there's a division of elections, phone call that she needs to be on. Um, we really, there's, five of you mentioned in the act i would suggest that we wait until we have at least one other so that we can say we have three out of five of you for purposes of a quorum. Um. I i would agree with that is um charles thomas on the call. He is not yet i did verify, with his admin that he would be joining this morning. I'm not sure about mike. Okay. The. We're gonna have staff call, the um. On the link, the, the original, link that i had i had to go to the one that was that you'd emailed, out this morning. Okay, so they may have an incorrect link to um. I'll go ahead, i'll go ahead and resend, it right now to mike, into. Charles. And we'll see what happens. There you said staff is reaching out to. Brian, i i just texted both of them just asking are you getting on the call, okay. I haven't heard back from either one. Oh it looks like mike's on he's on as a participant, i'll promote him now. Okay. Okay. And there's charles, good. Good. Here we are. Okay good morning. Okay. So we have carlos, we have mike twitty. Uh ken berg, myself barry burton. Uh so that constitutes. The, majority, and julie marcus. From supervisor, of elections, unable to join us. Um well i'll just kick it off um obviously, the. Unified, personnel, act, provides for a process, for appointment, of the director, of human resources. Um, in the act, called the director of personnel, but, the, um act specifically, designates, appointing, authorities. Um. To, make recommendations. To, the, um. Unified, personnel, board. And make that appointment. From among applicants, recommended. By us. Um and so it's it's that panel, and hearing after referred to as the hr director, panel. Uh that makes recommendations. To the personnel, board. Uh back and. When they met on march the fifth, on the sequence of events, timing. I did not allow for a recommendation. From, the, um from our panel. To. Make a recommendation, regarding the hr director. But, we've had we have a chance to meet. They're going to be discussing, it at their meeting tonight. And so we wanted to bring up and discuss. Whether or not we would make a recommendation. That mo training. Be appointed, as the hr, director, on on an interim basis. Until such time, as the permanent, director, is.
Reviewed, By this panel, and then ultimately. A recommendation. And, applicants. Submitted, to the personnel. Board. And that's what we're here to. Discuss. Area i'll go ahead and go go first in the discussion. Um. I i've worked with moe before. Moe's. Expertise. Is going into troubled, areas, and straightening, them out. She's done that for the county a couple times. I know in animal services. Um, we had troubles, in animal services, but we say we, not under the clerk but the bigger county issue. Um. And uh. Matter of fact we, had an audit of them with our inspector, general it was a very severe audit there was tremendous, criticism, from the community, because there's advocacy, groups which monitor. What happens with animal services. And mo although she had. Certainly, she would never hold herself out as an animal services, expert, by any stretch of the imagination. Um. Was, asked to be director, there, and she get in there and she. Basically. Because of her management, style. Because, of her demeanor. She was able to take a very troubled, department. Um, and and and make it a very effective department, and i think what was quite a compliment to mow, in that example. Was that um, the advocacy, groups which were tremendously. Critical of the county and jewel, remembers, this. Um. They spoke glowingly, of of, of of. Mo and and what she did so. Um. You know, boy that was a heavy lift on her part, and i thought it brought out all her skills, that um. And attributes. So well, now she's not an hr, expert. I think she'll acknowledge she's not an hr expert. But she brings to the table that she has knowledge of our county the way. Our. Unified, personnel system works the unified, personnel system rules. But more important than that. She has the ability, to take a department, which is troubled, and i think. From my point of view our hr department, is troubled. When you have a 22. Turnover, rate in one year when you have. Um. You know, the reviews, that we sent in saying that there's deficiencies. And it's not living up to our expectations. That doesn't mean there's bad people in that department, but they need a leader who can. Can, um. Make them the most effective, possible, and put the right people in the right chairs. Um and i think mo does all that so i'm, highly supportive, of this recommendation. And i hope we not only. If we adopt that, not only send a letter to the personnel, board, indicating, that. But we also, reach out to our personnel, board members who represent, us. And encourage, them strongly, to support this because i have a feeling. That, at tonight's meeting this may be a, not as easy a topic, as, as we hope it would be by us just suggesting, it. I'll shut up did a lot of talking. And. If you would like i can just kind of briefly go over her resume, i know there's others probably listening, in, um, um samoa, uh carries, she has a bachelor's of science degree from kent state university, and masters. And business administration, from kent state university. She was the assistant city manager. Um in dunedin, from, in 98, to 1998. To 2006. Interim city manager, right, during that time. Then she came to the county as director of human and, health and human services. From 2006. To 2010. And then from 2010. To 2013. An assistant, county administrator. For pinellas, county overseeing. Ams, 911, convention, center. Economic, development, then went out to animal services, before she retired. In 2015.. That's a brief synopsis, of her. Resume. This is mike i i would. I think she's a great fit. She's got that right balance, of of knowledge. Coupled with not being tainted, by. Coming from within hr. I think i think you need that third party oversight, because, i want to kind of.
Ferret Things out and see where we where we go moving forward. Charles. Carlos, i'm not sure if we could hear you, yeah you were speaking, before and i was not able to hear anything from your. Microphone. At least. We're having technical, difficulties. Well, um i will tell you i don't i don't have the history, like you guys have with mom i have talked to her, um you know it's through this process. And um, you know she really talks about bringing people together. Um, and i think this is a time where you know. Improved communication. And collaboration. Amongst, uh hr, the appointed, authorities, and the unified, personnel, board, is paramount. And, so during the center and period if she does nothing. But accomplish, that that would be time well served. Carlos, i think you we, you're, that the, mute was taken off maybe we could hear you now won't you test us. No. I was able to hear me, yes yeah, mike i can't hear you. Okay. If i could offer, you a phone number or something. Uh we can probably give him a phone number to call in uh give me one second here and i can. The meeting, invite. And if i could maybe offer something to you all obviously i'm not you know part of the group and certainly not here to, take any action, um i did work with mo for a number of years. Primarily, when she was in positions, of management. Some of the positions, that barry named off when he was reading from her resume. So i did have the opportunity. Again to work closely with her and generally, those were on either human resources, issues, again from a management perspective. Or ethics, issues. And, i found her to you know be a highly ethical highly effective, manager. So i can give you that input just from my personal experience, with having worked with her. Um in the years that she was here. Um i will also add what we're trying to get carlos, and. Um. I put together a memo that you guys can use that you all can use to send, to the personnel, board you would just need to insert a name. Um. I did not. I did not phrase it in terms of hey you're legally obliged, to take this recommendation. Um, you know i think that. Us lawyers we argue both sides you know, i can come with you guys and say hey, you're legally obliged, the board attorney will likely take another perspective, and then at the end of the day you just have two legal opinions. However. I do think that the act is drafted, in such a way that it really contemplates. A very close working relationship. Between, the personnel, board, and the various appointing authorities, you know all of which you you are. So it's really drafted, more in a um. Hey let's have a dialogue, and we really, want you to listen to our input. So it's drafted, more, not from a legal perspective, but more from a hey we're all in this together, so we really want you to to listen to what we have to say, and i'm going to go ahead right now and email that, um to all of you just to take a look at so. Um. You can certainly let me know if you feel like any of the dialogue that we've had here today is not properly reflected, or if you wish there to be any changes, it's brief it's one page. Carlos, can we hear you yet. I think i have it set up now, beautiful. All right. So, um. You know i know mo. Both professionally. And personally, and i think. That she is a very talented. And, uh accomplished. Lady. I'm, not real comfortable with the fact that she doesn't have any hr, experience. And. Given that we're talking an interim. And looking, for, a new director. To reorganize. And. Revamp. That group. I'm just not convinced that's the right move. At this point jack at least has the technical, skills. And these have been difficult, times and i've not seen any major missteps. On the other hand, i have not had, a tremendous, amount of interaction. With jack during, this. This time. Just one voice. Oh i it's a fair it's a fair comment, um, i've actually, not had any, any issues, with jack we have obviously a lot going on of course the pandemic, kind of, um. Changed, a lot of, things. Um so you know it's we're not we're not in the same mode. Um, but, i think jack is doing a fine job in terms of um, managing. You know technical. Process, issues within hr. I'm not sure he's the, person, to help bridge. The communication. Gap between, hr. Um. And the personnel, board and the appointing authorities. Um and and i think that's the next piece that. Um, a, probably a. Somebody from the outside, uh like a mo. Could help um bring, everybody, together, to accomplish, that. And and i again i don't and i nothing against jack but i i just don't think he's the guy to accomplish that. Fair. Enough. I'm not, dead set against this. I just have some concerns, about it. Ballot. Again kind of kind of going back to the legal issue like i said we could argue that. You know we could, have a legal debate of the merits of.
Whether You all are a formal recommending, body or not, um. Taking this from the perspective, that you are, uh you are sunshine body which is why we are gathered here today, so, uh to make our recommendation, you would need to take some sort of a formal action, uh to make that recommendation, so just keep that in mind as you. You know continue to discuss and perhaps deliberate. Well just to get things moving, and i know um. You know i i respect carlos, hesitation. There um. I do think this is the better direction to go to, um, though. I think when you have a troubled department, an outsider, oftentimes. Is needed, um and, um it may not be ideal because without the hr, although. You know, we we all have hr experience, and, by being, head of. Very big agencies, you know and and health and human services. And she was ahead of that's a very big and complicated. Um, agency which involved lots of hr, issues. So it's not like she's devoid of hr, issues she's just never been in a you. A unique. Hr, role which dedicated. So. I i just think the intangibles. And tangibles, that she brings to the table are so strong i'll go ahead and make the motion that we recommend, to the. Unified, personnel, board to, um. Appoint. Mo freiny, as the. Director. For the time period, needed until a permanent director can be appointed. Ken before we vote we're going to want to take public comment, uh, i think before you guys. Your second barry. Well. I'll, i'll second that motion. Okay. All right at this time if there are any members of the public that wish to comment, uh before they vote on this item, uh please, go ahead and raise your hand in the zoom application, or hit star nine if you're on the telephone. Line. And ken berry i'm not seeing anybody that wishes to comment before, vote so i think you guys are clear. Any other further. Discussion. All right, um then all in favor, of the motion. Signify, by saying hi and raise your. Hand. Yes and i understand, i understand your hesitation. And and i, i, i that's the reason i said the comment i think i think jack's really tried to step up you know on that on that technical, side and i think we do owe him, uh an explanation. As of we do appreciate. Um you know what he's been trying to accomplish. Um so that motion, passes. Um. So that's the end of that that's the item that we had for today, i will tell you that, the, um, the. Search consultant. Is continuing, their work um so i think they've gotten in a lot of resumes, they haven't screened down or anything yet so i don't have anything to report to you, uh once we have that we'll, reconvene, the larger group and discuss, that, uh once i hear more from them but that should be. Soon, i think in the next couple weeks. Excellent. Excellent. Yeah i'm sure that mo will uh make good use of jack's technical, skills, and. And work together with the group and do a fine job. I'm good gary. Great. I agree with that carlos i think jax, you know, has a definite role in our hr department, i agree with that. All right. Anything, else to discuss. Oh. Okay i know this is. But but while we're on this, um, all together here, because we don't get this chance that i is, is. Carlos, can you talk about the reopening, of your offices. And, especially. Um. The, uh. Taking people's temperatures. Outside. The building, and and. And i bring this up you know but just because. I'm sure the question will come up if if, one of us is doing it why aren't we all doing this. Um. Of people coming into the government building so. And and that was in the article, and like it was the article was confusing, for hillsborough, pasco, pinellas, and kept going between them so it was hard for me to figure out, what was pinellas, what was pasco what was hillsborough, doing here, but i'm sure i'm going to get employee questions because, i always do is like, well the tax collector's screening people why aren't we doing that for folks coming into the courthouse, which we're seeing so, if you could just kind of help us figure that out is this appropriate for us to talk about this jewel this is really, i don't care if it's sunshine or not sunshine, i'm just. Yeah, i think this is absolutely, fair i mean this is nothing that you all take action on as a group and i'm actually curious to hear what you all have to say barry i reached out to um rodney this morning because i kind of wanted to hear what you all were thinking under. Um, your agency, as far as reopening, so i'd be very interested in hearing what you guys have to say and actually, i plan to kind of reach out to each of you guys because i want to make sure that whatever we decide in the county attorney's, office we're meeting the needs of you all because of course you all are our clients so i'm eager to hear it no problem having that discussion here, and i know i asked garlic but joel i have the same question, even like with people, if we have a domestic violence injunction.
What Right do we have the person to say well gosh your temperature is 90, we arbitrarily, have determined. 99, or two you know 100s. Man you can't come in this building. You know it's like gosh. We i i have concerns, over that too which i'm not sure how they get addressed but anyway, carlos, tell us what you're doing please, and actually we're not using temperature, sensors, at this point, we're, we're collecting, data, on that, uh we're, interested, in seeing. How that works out in other counties but i don't have that equipment. Okay, so we have talked about that um and we certainly can get all of the appointing, authorities, together. Um you know and, and we have and talk about, you know, how do we reopen. And i think that is the next phase and something we should be talking, about. We're we've been talking with our departments, about what that next phase looks like what people would we bring back. How do we operate do we operate a little differently. Um. You know and, um and, be safe the social distancing, and things like that. So, you know from our perspective, we are looking at that it's very problematic. Because yeah you need to have a nurse to be able to take temperature. We're doing that here at the emergency, operations, center. We're doing it for a very specific reason if i lose. You know half of the 911, staff, i, i literally cannot, you know, um. Answer, emergency. Calls so. There's there is a specific, reason so we've locked down that building. Um, in that in that respect. Um we're not doing it in other parts of the county, um, so, that and there have been departments, that have asked you know for that but it would be very, very resource, intensive. Yep um, and, in order to be able to do something in the in the, many many, many locations. Um, that we have. But. Legal issues too with access, again, how do you. What what happens when you know this is not a private business. Do we have the right to turn people away, at certain you know. You know and, what is. Anyway, i just, you're right this at my section over here. Again the building. That i've been living in for the last six weeks. Um you know it's not a public building so nobody has a right to come in they don't we don't have public transactions. So it's very very different. Than coming into the courthouse, or you know, or um you know. The tax collector's, office or something or something like that. Um. I do think it's a good idea for us to share. Our thoughts about. You know, not just what we're doing today which we have, but. Um what happens, next, you know what happens two months from now, um, you know, what and what everybody's, thinking. Yeah i would i would very much like to have that conversation, and hear what everybody's, doing, because of course we really support, all of you. Uh so i would very much like to have a conversation, like that. I could tell you a little bit more about what we are doing. Um. We have. Two security, guards, at mid county. And as we open up the additional, offices. Once, the, glass, shielding, goes into place. There will be two guards at those locations. As, well. They're screening, customers, before they come in. Asking, if they have a fevers. Or experience, any. Coveted. Type of. Symptoms. And, if they. Answer, that they're, fine. Then they will let them come in right now we are serving, only, pinellas, county residents. By appointment, only. We can do, anything, right now, with the exception. Of. Driving, tests, and we're not even sure how we're going to ever, well not ever but how we will. Conduct, driving tests in the future. The current plan, is. To try, and monitor, those remotely. And, with the driving, ranges, that will come available. In north and south county. We think that that will facilitate. That. We just need to get the state's. Buy-in. To. Do a remote, observation. The testing, as opposed to being in the car. We, have not yet reopened, cdl, and the reason for that, is that. It's kind of a hands-on, transaction. In the fingerprinting. And until we get a little bit more guidance, from the department, of ag, is not opening at all, before may 17..
Not Real sure how we're going to do that, but. So right now we're just not. And the only other piece would be hazmat. Testing. For commercial driver's, licenses. And again, because of the fingerprinting. Issue. Other than that, we can do anything, by appointment. Any of the other transactions. That we handle. What we are not doing, is we're not doing simple renewals. Those can be accomplished. On the internet, by the mail. We have dropboxes. And by the end of the month. I should have, kiosks. In two publix, locations. In the lobbies, of all of my buildings. So i don't see a reason, to do, those types of renewals, so the other options. And that, should. Make it a little more doable. In terms of capacity. In in just doing. Um. By appointment, transactions. For the other business, that. Is going to take a while to catch up on. Any rate that's today's, plan, things could change. We did open this morning at mid. County uh. You know. It didn't go 100. Smooth but right now we're serving, customers, well. We had about, 30 people outside the office when we opened. About 20 of them didn't have appointments. So. Clearly, the message. Is. Not a hundred percent, clear. Hillsborough. County, opened two offices. By appointment. Only monday. Uh pasco, county just opened. Jay just opened up. No appointments, necessary. Just show up. And i saw a picture. Earlier this week of, a hundred people standing, outside, of one of casca, county tax collector, offices. On the line waiting to get in. I'm not. I don't think that's a terrific, plan. For pinellas, county. I'm not going to say what's good or bad for pasco, that's mike's. Decision. Uh mike fazano. And um god bless. But uh. That's, the path we're taking right now. And i i can tell you my folks are. Actually, excited, about having the opportunity, to serve the public again. Safely. All right. Are you rotating. 50 percent of your staff, in it, in. Mid county. In phase, one of this. And and that's, to. Um. Not infect an entire office at once just in case it happens. But. Phase, two of the operations. Will be, to have everybody, back in on a full schedule. And i'm hoping, to be able to do that by the end of the month or the beginning, of june. Uh, nothing really written in stone just yet mike. Yeah. But so far this is working pretty well. Just so everybody knows you know we we've got two seats. In mid county and carlos's, facility, there. To take homestead, apps and we have not. Uh returned those, those two staff members back yet, we're, we're past the homestead, deadline, we still have late files. But we've really been able to manage it, with um online. Use of. Carlos's, dropbox, there at mid county. And. And then you know over the phone and. So it's it's really worked out to where we really don't have a real need. To be public facing, at this moment, the time of year we're more focused, on valuation. For our, for um. Estimates. And, and exemption, approvals. And denials. So. You know we have a june one and a july, one.
Deliverables. So we're really focused on that so i, i'm going to kind of slow roll, my people back in it'll probably be front counter, people that will come in first. And the first ones. Will come into mid county that will be the first spot, but we haven't determined, exactly when that's going to be that could still be a couple of weeks out. Before we actually. Seat them there. And then we're, we're talking about a three-phased. Implementation. Of our staff. Putting the most vulnerable, and those that have child care issues, kind of in that last phase. And and kind of ramp up, and look at which departments, are really working efficiently, from home. Right now which, really is our appraisers. And because they have those deliverables. In june and july. I really don't want to start transitioning. Them back in and lose valuable, time. You know. Pulling them out of where they're, actually working pretty well. So, they may be the last ones to come back in. And i may not even bring our south county people in at all until the new facility, opens in early july. And just bring them straight into the new facility. Speaking of south county, that's, one of the decisions, we've not made yet whether or not we bring back on old south county. Or. Wait until, new south county is ready. And bring it up rather, than. Try and get the public. Uh, information. Out okay go to the old location, and now in three weeks go to the new location. Um. Do we set up equipment, and everything. And. We're also in the middle of a state refresh, of equipment. We think if the state. Actually gives us the equipment. And. Kind of hard to get a firm answer there as well. You you own us both. Barry one more question. Um. And. What's the projection, for. Next fiscal year as far as decrease, in revenue. That's a great question, um, and, i don't have a a, great num um, answer for you yet, um part of it is this reopening. Um what's gonna, you know how is our economy going to rebound. Um, the. The areas, that we're gonna hit, get hit hardest, in areas, that where we have dedicated, revenue, penny.
Money, Okay so penny for pinellas. We're going to really rethink, our capital plans. Um, the cbb. Bedtex. You know driven. Um there, are gas tax. Um what we use to maintain, our rights away. And, um all of our public works. Environmental, management. Um so, those areas, will be particularly, hit hard. We, you know we probably. You know if i throw out a number and i know puente's, on there so he'll print it so, uh. No offense mark but i don't want to put a number out there that, i'll be 100. Wrong on, but we're trying to figure that out i mean we, you know it's not a significant. Part of our general fund, budget. But but it's still a big chunk of money. And so we're, we're doing projections, right now, so what i've told the, commissioners, are that we're, we're going to put that on for early june, uh to be able to have a more, detailed, conversation. I do have on, kind of a reopening. Discussion, with the commissioners. Both in terms of county operations, and in terms of the commissioners, themselves. Um, here at the, at our workshop, next thursday. And you know the part of the reason for that is, you know like with brian, moderating, this meeting he's done an amazing, job, but there's a whole team behind him. To set these up there's a lot of resources, that go into having these online, meetings. And, we have um, quasi judicial, hearings. Uh that we've been you know delaying. And, those would be some really significant, ones where you're gonna have hundreds of people. Wanting to speak, and so. Um, very very difficult to do. Um online, like this and have them have a real opportunity, to present their case. Um not, not that we can't do it i think joel. Could well opine that we can. But, it becomes it's a lot more problematic. Um. So that's that's kind of the things that we're dealing with, um can you and i really need to talk about you know and and mike and also i mean you know we've got when do we open up the courthouse, right, um and what does that look like and what's our messaging, on that so, i think all of these we need to kind of think through that, and you know in part we've been waiting on kind of the governor's order about, kind of reopening. And. And um but but we what we do know is that that, that reopening. Still will involve social distancing, for some time. And so, if we have those thoughts in mind and our plans in mind then, then we can coordinate, the how and the win and the messaging. And what types of operation, are open where. I just appreciate maybe when you get a better handle on the figures maybe we have an appointing authority meeting with the other appointing authorities. Um, and just go over. You know. Maybe a quick budget lesson on where the pots of money are going to be short next year and where we're looking okay. Just be helpful to know, yeah general funds you know a little over 40 million bucks in sales tax, um so you know pick pick an amount of that, you know you're seeing. 20. Um. You know monthly figures. Of what the original, amount was, of course, between the worst of it, that'll that'll give you that'll give you some idea but i mean it's in the millions, you know so it's not, it's, it's not insignificant. Um but it's, it you know where where it really would impact, us is a continuation.
Of This, to where there's a deflation. In the property values. And that would probably take a year or two migrate, for that to kind of catch up for your appraisal, process, and that's where we would see, um a, like because such a large share of the general fund, uh comes from property taxes. We'll be looking at, at sales, activity, through the back half of the year, to see what types of, if any, impacts, are, hit in the market i suspect, that we will see some that will affect some of our january, 1 2021. Numbers. Yeah. Especially, on commercial i would imagine, more than residential, bike. Correct. So to keep this conversation. Going would um. What about the week after next uh like the 18th 1920s. Somewhere through there, you want to get a um an appointing authorities, meeting so, and i can send out a note and just ask for people to think through, their thoughts and we could share those ahead of time. And and then, at least just have an information, sharing. Um regarding, what everybody's, thinking. Good, thank you. That sound okay. Sounds, good. Okay. Great, well thank you all for your time, um stay. Safe. You.
2020-05-17 20:29
