Minutes-Regular Meeting-May 1, 2007
Personnel Commission
May 07, 2007
May 1, 2007
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Dr. Griffith at 4:30 p.m.
PRESENT
Personnel Commissioners:
Dr. Owen H. Griffith
Dr. Harold M. Klonecky
Patrick J. Furey, Esq.
Dr. Kris Koga, Director-Personnel Commission
Ms. Liane Kwan, Personnel Analyst
PLACE AND DATE OF MEETING
Torrance Unified School District Office Board Room
2335 Plaza del Amo, Torrance, May 1, 2007
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mr. Furey
PUBLIC HEARING-PERSONNEL COMMISSION BUDGET-2007-2008
Dr. Griffith opened the Public Hearing – Personnel Commission Budget for questions or comments concerning the Personnel Commission Budget for 2007-2008.
Hearing no comments, Dr. Griffith requested a motion to close the hearing.
Dr. Klonecky moved, seconded by Mr. Furey, that the Public Hearing-Personnel Commission Budget 2007-2008 be closed. Motion carried 3/0.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES –Regular Meeting of April 17, 2007 and Special Meeting of April 24, 2007
Dr. Klonecky moved, seconded by Mr. Furey, that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 17, 2007 and Special Meeting of April 24, 2007 be approved as amended. Motion carried 3/0.
APPROVAL OF 2007-2008 PERSONNEL COMMISSION BUDGET
Dr. Klonecky moved, seconded by Mr. Furey, that the Personnel Commission Budget-2007-2008 be approved. Motion carried 3/0.
APPROVAL OF ELIGIBILITY LISTS-Energy Educator/Manager, Human Resources Technician, Instructional Assistant-Bilingual (Korean), Language Assessment Proctor-Tier I/Tier II, Paraeducator-Tier I/Tier II, School-to-Career Coordinator
Dr. Klonecky moved, seconded by Mr. Furey, that the Eligibility Lists- Energy Educator/Manager, Human Resources Technician, Instructional Assistant-Bilingual (Korean), Language Assessment Proctor-Tier I/Tier II, Paraeducator-Tier I/Tier II, School-to-Career Coordinator be approved. Motion carried 3/0.
APPROVAL OF 2007 RECLASSIFICATION STUDY – Mr. Richard Ide, Consultant
Dr. Klonecky moved, seconded by Mr. Furey, that this item be tabled for the May 15, 2007 meeting in order that Mr. Ide and Dr. Griffith further review comments submitted by employees affected by the reclassification.
Dr. Koga explained that employees who have been in the position for less than two years must be tested to be eligible for the reclassification.
The following TUSD employees addressed the Commission:
1. Ms. Lucinda Wells, School Secretary I, Carr Elementary School
2. Mr. Robert Habel, Stock Delivery Clerk, Warehouse
3. Mr. Thurlow O’Neil, Stock Delivery Clerk, Warehouse
4. Ms. Brenda Banfield, OA II, Hickory Elementary School
5. Mr. Robert Bradley, Custodian, Jefferson Middle School
6. Mr. Patrick Galligan, Project Planning Supervisor, Maintenance and Operations
7. Ms. Sharon Donald, Manager-Projects & Facilities, Maintenance and Operations
8. Ms. Karen Brotter, Testing Coordinator, Testing
9. Mr. Isidro Herrera, Custodian, Torrance High School
Peggy Shannon, CSEA Labor Representative, commended Mr. Ide on recommending review of staffing levels in particular to part-time positions. She suggested that those recommendations be emphasized in the report when presented to the Board of Education. Ms. Shannon added concerns regarding the reclassification report on Danielle Sibley, Instructional Assistant, North High School.
Kevin Peralta, SEIU Local 99 Representative, also commended Mr. Ide on recommending review of staffing levels. He asked that the Commissioners take into consideration all comments and letters from TUSD employees before approving the reclassification study.
Ana San Roman, CSEA Chapter 19 President, suggested the Commissioners table the item until the next meeting in order that employees’ comments to be taken into consideration.
INFORMATION ITEMS
Job Announcements:
Manager-Information Systems
Manager-Technology Services
Staff Assistant-Human Resources (Confidential)
Next Regular Commission Meeting-
May 15, 2007, 4:30 p.m. – District Office Board Room
COMMENTS FROM STAFF
Dr. Koga noted that she had received numerous inquiries related to the Classified and Certificated Employee of the Year nomination packets. She pointed out that attached only to the certificated employee nomination packet was a flyer announcing a prize to the Teacher of the Year of a two-year lease for a Saturn car with scheduled maintenance included. She further noted that no mention of any designated prize was included for the Classified Employee of the Year. She further reminded everyone that teachers are truly valuable employees and deserving of honor but without classified employees such as payroll clerks to process teacher paychecks, bus drivers to provide transportation for students, food services workers to prepare meals for students, account clerks to pay our bills and prepare budgets, maintenance employees to keep our aging facilities usable for all of us, technology experts to keep our computers running, secretaries and numerous clerical positions to provide support and so much more—how could we truly have the opportunity to provide our community with such valued public education?
Dr. Koga reported on her recent meeting with the new District consultant representative handling mandated costs. She noted that when the District first contracted with this same consultant organization many years ago, Dr. Don McCann (former Personnel Commission Director) and Personnel Commission staff met with the representative consultant, Ms. Martha Ulloa, Education Consulting Services, Inc., Huntington Beach, CA. Ms. Ulloa outlined the accepted procedure for procuring the maximum reimbursable costs for the District. Dr. McCann carefully followed this designated procedure and continued to contact Ms. Ulloa annually for the submission of the Personnel Commission carefully itemized report. Ms. Ulloa continued to share with Dr. McCann that the Personnel Commission was leading the school district in documentation and that she was always happy to work with the Personnel Commission. Dr. Koga noted that Dr. McCann worked closely with the consultant and staff to continue this reporting process. She further noted that in 2001, Dr. McCann requested an increase in the Personnel Commission Budget to cover one (1) additional sorely-needed position—a new position of Associate Personnel Analyst--which he noted was already funded by the large reimbursable cost funding by the Personnel Commission to the District General Fund. During that period, Dr. Koga was the Executive Secretary to Dr. Arnold Plank, Superintendent. She noted that Dr. Plank checked with the consultant to confirm the amount of reimbursable cost attained through the Personnel Commission documentation, found Dr. McCann’s statement to be true, and then approved the addition to the Personnel Commission Budget of one additional position.
Subsequent to that period, Dr. Koga noted that the Personnel Commission continued the detailed documentation for reimbursable costs and at no time, did this consultant—Education Consulting Service, Inc.—indicate that documentation was not being utilized.
Dr. Koga noted that she had a meeting on Monday, April 30, 2007 with Ms. Yolanda Castillo, new consultant with Educational Consulting, Inc., who only on this date explained that this consulting organization is not using all of our many detailed items on our reimbursable cost reports. Ms. Castillo pointed out to Dr. Koga that she was only visiting the Personnel Commission since we provide the largest amount of documentation in the District and therefore wished to provide us with the new acceptable wording that we could use for future years. Dr. Koga expressed extreme disappointment in a District-hired consultant who would not properly communicate any required changes since the Personnel Commission would be more than happy to correct any submitted reports.
Dr. Koga added that she will meet again with the consultant in early July to review the reimbursable costs for the current fiscal year and continue discussion over the recently submitted reports because no matter what hurdle surfaced, the Personnel Commission staff would continue documentation for reimbursable funding for the District!
COMMENTS FROM PERSONNEL COMMISSIONERS
Mr. Furey announced two fundraisers for Torrance Education Foundation. He said the Kiwanis will sponsor the Texas Hold-em’ at Hollywood Park on May 20, 2007 and the Rotary Club is sponsoring “Downtown Sounds” on June 3, 2007.
Mr. Furey also announced that the City Council will host Student Government Day later that evening. He added that 22 eighth grade students will run the City Council Meeting for that evening.
Dr. Griffith reported on the recent City of Torrance Awards Ceremony in which several school district employees were honored.
COMMENTS FROM THOSE IN ATTENDANCE
Ms. Linda Luhmann, School Secretary II, West High School, requested that the anniversary increments be clarified on the salary schedules. Dr. Koga noted that the salary schedules and anniversary increments are not under the purview of the Personnel Commission. She referred these issues to the respective unions.
Ms. Anna San Roman, CSEA, Chapter 19 President, invited the Personnel Commissioners to the PTA May Brunch on May 5, 2007 at Torrance High School.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 6:08 p.m.
