HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Commissioners - Minutes - 11/19/1998•
Call to Order
Present: Al Anderson, Brooks Andersen, Leon Anderson, Pauline Barry, Sharon Bjork, Rolene
Davis, Jack Dawkins, Joanne Derby, Sandi Gundberg, Mike Hanan, Cheryl Jones, Merle King,
Chuck Kitzman, Larry Krohn, Malcolm Lee, Lane Magnusson, Wendy Metcalf, Mark Morris, Kathy
Ouren, Michele Petterson, Norman "Bud" Pierce, Virginia Partmann, Vicki Schwanke, Dennis
Soderstrom, Rick Sytsma, Jeff Thompson, and Gary Waskosky.
Larry Krohn called the Labor Management Committee meeting to order at 1: 1 O p.m.
The following individuals notified the Coordinator's Office of their planned absence: Steve
Andrews, David Hauser, Todd Smedstad, Doug Walvatne, and Rick West.
Approval of Agenda -November 19, 1998
Approved November 19, 1998 agenda as presented.
• Approval of Minutes -September 17, 1998
••
Approved minutes of September 17, 1998 as presented.
Approval of Minutes -October 15, 1998
No meeting was held on October 15, 1998 due to not obtaining a quorum -no minutes were
distributed. ·
Communication
Discussed communications between and within departments. The Social Services Department
has management staff meetings every Monday; following that meeting during the week the
supervisors have meetings with their employees.
Discussion on county having e-mail running off the AS400. At this point the county garages, Solid
Waste Department, and offices located in the US Bank Building are not on that system. Hopefully
in the future, the county will have a campus wide e-mail system. Software has been purchased for
MIS to incorporate all employees on e-mail.
Discussion on T1 lines, Internet, and computer accesses. Discussed the possibilities of
developing a framework of communications departmental use.
Communication update on the expansion transition of new jail. Communication begins with
Supervisors, then mid-line Supervisors, and then employees. Memos are a good source of
disseminating information. Discussion on improving the county's procedures with issues of
budgeting for phones and computers; seems like the county does not have a consistent procedure
Otter Tail County Labor Management committee
November 19, 1998
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for getting budget approval on computers, phones, etc. A need was expressed to address these
concerns.
Discussion on the County's present phone system with the possibility of updating to voicemail.
Discussed several options, which include Centrex service, US West-switching centers,
Otter Tail Telcom, and phone mailboxes. Departments should plan to discuss their phone
communication issues.
Discussion on distributing minutes through a newsletter and/or circulating minutes throughout
departments.
Discussion on departments setting aside time for holding communication meetings. The Jail is
required to have meetings once a month. The Attorney's Office has meetings every week.
Would the County Board have any concerns if a department closed a half-hour early or opened a
half-hour later? Discussion of opening the courthouse to the public at 8:30 a.m. instead of 8:00
a.m. in order to hold interdepartmental personnel meetings.
Open Forum
E-mail discussion.
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People are interested in being trained on the different software programs. The MIS Department
offers a CD Training for some software. The county does not have the budget and/or staff to
provide individual software training.
Discussed on how to ensure communication is carried through, even when there is a good system (
of communicating. Every department has to work on their own process of framework. Any
department that has people at different building locations has to rely on their supervisors for
information. If the county had phone mailboxes, the departments could send messages through to
everyone.
Discussion of the total number of county committees.
Discussion of an implementation schedule and policy of e-mail.
What is the role of the Employee's Committee and what are their responsibilities? All county
personnel complaints should be passed on to the County Commissioners and/or Larry Krohn.
Discussion on Personnel Committee issues established in the personnel policy. The Personnel
Committee is responsible for issues of vacation carryover, sick time, and sometimes more delicate
issues; they do not deal with any union issues. Discussion on Personnel Rules and Union
Contracts. Discussed the winter weather policy.
Adjournment
At 3:45 p.m., Larry Krohn declared the meeting of the Otter Tail County Labor Management
Committee adjourned until 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 17, 1998.
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