Rapides Parish Police Jury

INVOCATION

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ROLL CALL

PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY AGENDA ITEM

1. Motion to approve, adopt and implement the findings and recommendations of SSA Consultants and the Rapides Parish Civil Service Board on the “Evaluation of the Rapides Parish Police Jury Civil Service Employees Plan,” effective February 1, 2020.
2. Motion to authorize and adopt an amendment to the Rapides Parish Police Jury operating budget for 2020 to include and reflect the Compensation Schedule of the “Evaluation of the Rapides Parish Police Jury Civil Service Employees Plan,” effective February 1, 2020.

(UNANIMOUS VOTE REQUIRED TO ADD ITEM AFTER CALL)

ADJOURNMENT

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to attend this public meeting, please contact the Police Jury Office at

January 28, 2020

1. Motion to approve, adopt and implement the findings and recommendations of SSA Consultants and the Rapides Parish Civil Service Board on the “Evaluation of the Rapides Parish Police Jury Civil Service Employees Plan,” effective February 1, 2020.
2. Motion to authorize and adopt an amendment to the Rapides Parish Police Jury operating budget for 2020 to include and reflect the Compensation Schedule of the “Evaluation of the Rapides Parish Police Jury Civil Service Employees Plan,” effective February 1, 2020.

BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT

Laurel Smith, Secretary

There were present: Craig Smith, President, Oliver “Ollie” Overton, Jr., Davron “Bubba” Moreau, Joe Bishop, Rusty Wilder, Sean McGlothlin, David Johnson and Scott Perry.

Absent were Police Jurors: Theodore Fountaine, Jr. and Scott Perry

Also present were: Mr. Bruce Kelly, Treasurer; Ms. Donna Andries, Sales & Use Tax Administrator; Ms. Linda Sanders, Civil Service Director; Mr. Greg Jones, Legal Counsel; and Ms. Laurel Smith, Secretary.

The invocation was given by Mr. Ollie Overton.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mr. Joe Bishop.

The Police Jury of the Parish of Rapides, State of Louisiana, was duly convened as the governing authority of said Parish by Hon. Craig Smith, President, REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 30, 2020

who welcomed all present and then stated that the Police Jury was ready for the transaction of business.

On motion by Mr. Ollie Overton, seconded by Mr. Joe Bishop, to approve, adopt and implement the findings and recommendations of SSA Consultants and the Rapides Parish Civil Service Board on the “Evaluation of the Rapides Parish Police Jury Civil Service Employees Plan,” effective February 1, 2020.

Mr. Craig Smith, President, recognized Mr. Cody Saucier, SSA Consultants, to give a brief overview of the findings and recommendations.

Mr. Saucier spoke about the compensation plan and study that was done for the Rapides Parish Civil Service Employees. He gave a brief overview of the major points of the study for the last six months. The study consisted of a data request, the current pay plan, how much employees are currently being paid, full job descriptions, organizational structure, employee handbooks and turnover of employees in the past three years. One of the major facets of the study was the job analysis questionnaire. Mr. Saucier explained the charts and information in the booklets that were passed out to the Jurors. Forty nine of the employees are currently being paid below the market minimum. The forty nine employees being paid below the market minimum, is what happens when you go an extended period of time without having any market adjustments to your pay plan or without looking at market valuations for jobs or positions. He explained SSA’s recommendations. # 1) Bringing the incumbents up into the market range. Based on their estimations, the total cost to bring employees up to market minimum would be $126, 337. This is an estimation. They were asked to look at longevity employees that have been here for an extended period of time and held the same position and how much that total dollar cost would be to bring them up. They used a formula to calculate this based on a 2% average longevity rate. This would be about $367,000. The Civil Service Commission discussed a 20% cap on employees, so they wouldn’t receive more than a 20% raise as a part of this market adjustment. He stated he did not have that number on how much that would save.

Mr. Bruce Kelly stated that market minimum is the market minimum. That is not going to change. The part that is going to change is to put a cap, so the market, with longevity, instead of $367,140 with the motion that the Civil Service made changes would be $316,491.70. In the past when we put together 2020 budgets, we anticipated part of this plan. We budgeted of that $316,000, $133,219.67. What we are short currently is $183,272.03. He stated he had different funds that are going to pay different people. Highway Department needs to come up with approximately $90,000. We have already budgeted $67,000. Donna Andries, the Sales Tax Office needs to come up with a little over $28,000. OEWD needs to come up $39,000. The one that we are having trouble with, that we did not pass a budget for, is the General Fund 01. He stated he is short approximately $10,000 to pass this whole plan.

Mr. Saucier started with recommendation #2) Take the market ranges that they have provided in the study and use them to establish your salary ranges for the positions of the employees. Basically take SSA’s market minimum and maximum and use that for your spread as you administer your salary plan moving forward, so each position would have a fair market value range. # 3) Conduct these market REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 30, 2020

based studies every three to five years. Take a look at your plan and make sure that market forces haven’t moved anything too far or that you are not getting out of whack. One thing they discussed with the Civil Service Commission last night is, now that you have a foundation, these things can go a lot quicker and cheaper. #4) Update your job descriptions. Build in a review process. Review 1/3rd of your job descriptions and make sure they are accurate and up to date. # 5) Consolidate similar positions. # 6) Create the structure moving forward. Create a formal labor grade system. A labor grade system is basically a salary structure from which you administer your plan. # 7) Create official policy and procedures for education and experience substitutions. # 8) Monitor turnover. Stay proactive with compensations and salary plan. Mr. Saucier spoke briefly on the employees benefits. Rapides is basically where every other Parish is. One of the findings was that each employee should have designated Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) status. Exempt or Non-Exempt. Basically means, salary or hourly.

Discussion, questions and answers ensued.

Mr. Craig Smith stated over the years we lose employees and our leaders have trouble keeping employees. They quit, they go to other jobs. We have been talking about this for four or five years, trying to fix things so we have a plan in place. It’s a lot of money but at this point, we can afford it. It’s a big hit to take, but according to the Treasurer, the funds from each entity can take this hit. We fix our forty-nine employees, we start at a new point for Rapides Parish Police Jury to maintain good employees and give them an incentive. If we don’t make this recommendation and move forward today, who knows how many years this will come across again. We need to look at this in a positive way and move forward at this point. There is never a good time to take a hit like this, but it is obvious that we can do it and move on and do something for our employees. We are short about 10 to 12 people around the Highway Department, which hampers us in being able to provide care for our constituents. The North side of the River, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Moreau and myself, we were short more employees than the other side and 2019 has been a tough year.

Roll call vote was called for. Not done at this time.

Mr. Greg Johns stated for clarification the agenda was drafted before the Civil Service Meeting and the motion would be subject to 20% cap placed on it by Civil Service. This changes the overall figures with a reduction of about $50,000. He further stated the motion needs to be adopted in compliance with the Civil Service motion.

Mr. Overton stated the motion is to approve, adopt, and implement contingent upon approval, adoption, implementation and funding by the Rapides Parish Police Jury, the findings and recommendations of SSA Consultants “Evaluation of the Rapides Parish Civil Service Employee Plan”, and the “Market Minimum with Longevity Plan” originating therefrom with the following amendment, that such adjustment to the employee funding plan not to exceed 20% of an employee’s current salary unless current employee is not, after such 20% adjustment, making the market minimum, in which case the current employee’s salary shall be adjusted to the market minimum, to which Mr. Greg Jones stated yes, that is correct.

REGULAR MEETING

JANUARY 30, 2020

Mr. Sean McGlothlin questioned Mr. Bruce Kelly, if the General Fund is not approved until June, because we are in the deficit, can we afford to do this, to which Mr. Kelly stated yes, your General Fund Budget is off, not because of the nine employees that are in General Fund, it’s off because of other problems that you guys will have to address. Mr. McGlothlin stated again, can the Jury absorb this. We just picked up the insurance premium 100% a couple of months ago. Now we are adding an additional financial burden to the Jury. As my Treasurer, of Rapides Parish, can we afford to do this without jeopardizing the Jury financially, to which Mr. Kelly stated yes. This is $10,000 in a $9,000,000 budget. You have problems with General Funds that you are going to have to address at some point.

Mr. Joe Bishop stated that this could be part of it in the near future, to which Mr. Smith stated we don’t know where we are going to be in the future, but today the Treasurer is saying we can afford this and it does something for our employees, we can address whatever comes before the Jury in the future. As of today, the Treasurer says we can withstand this. We already started our roll call vote.

Roll call vote was as follows: YEAS: David Johnson, Rusty Wilder, Oliver “Ollie” Overton, Jr. and Craig Smith NAYS: Sean McGlothlin, Joe Bishop, Davron “Bubba” Moreau, ABSTAINED: none ABSENT: Scott Perry, Jr. and Theodore Fountaine, Jr. On roll call vote the motion carried 4-3.

On motion by Mr. Ollie Overton, seconded by Mr. David Johnson, to authorize and adopt an amendment to the Rapides Parish Police Jury operating budget for 2020 to include and reflect the Compensation Schedule of the “Evaluation of the Rapides Parish Police Jury Civil Service Employees Plan,” effective February 1, 2020. On roll call vote the motion carried 6-1.

The President asked if there was any public comment on any agenda item, to which there was no response.

On motion by Mr. Ollie Overton, seconded by Mr. David Johnson, there being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:54 p.m.