1978-05-03AMay 3, 1978 (Afternoon-Adjourned from April 20)
222
An adjourned meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held
on May 3, t978, (scheduled for 3:30 P.M.) in the Board Room of the County Office Building,
Charlottesville, Virginia; said meeting being adjouned from April 20, 1978.
Present: Messrs. Lindsay G. Dorrier, Jr. (arriving at 3:52 P.M.), Gerald E. Fisher,
J. To Henley, Jr., F. Anthony Iachetta, C. Timothy Lindstrom and W. S. Roudabush.
Absent: None.
Officer present: County Executive, Guy B. Agnor, Jr.
Agenda Item No. 1. The meeting was called to order at 3:46 P.M. by the Chairman, Mr.
Fisher, who noted t~at the Board members were late arriving for the beginning of this meeting
because they had been on a tour of Morton Frozen Foods plant in Crozet. Mr. Fisher then made
several announcements:
1-Recently a bill has passed the U.S. Senate which would require that anyone who goes to
Washington to visit their representatives, including local government officials, must file
expense accounts. The National Association of Counties requests some advice from their
members on how hard to fight passage of this bill.
2-There will be a meeting on May 4 between the Commission on State Aid to Localities and
the Joint Senate/House Sub-Committee on Annexation.
3-Mr. Lindstrom is scheduled to speak to the Piedmont Environmental Council on May 16.
4-Mr. Fisher will speak to the Virginia Citizens Planning Association on May 4.
5-Local Government Attorney's Association is having a personnel conference in Fredericks-
burg to discuss local government personnel problems, Federal laws, EEO, affirmative action
programs, grievance procedures and other matters pertaining to the handling of personnel.
Mr. Fisher suggested that the County have a representative attend this meeting.
6-Mr. Fisher had received a letter from the Library Board requesting that they be
allowed to change the terms of members presently serving. The terms of appointees are not
evenly spaced and the terms of too many members from one jurisdiction expire at the same
time. They wish to change terms so that, in the case of Albemarle, the term of one member
expires each year. Mr. Fisher said he intended to reply favorably to this request.
7-Mr. Fisher said the National Association of Counties has requested a resolution from
the Board in support of their efforts to encourage President Jimmy Carter to issue an executiw
order clarifying the role of counties in his administration. He then read the following
resolution into the record and asked for Board approval of same:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of SUpervisors of Albemarle County,
Virginia, does hereby support the Executive Order presented to The
President by the National Association of Counties which makes clear
the need for county participation in all federal programs; the wording
of said Executive Order being set out below:
THIS ADMINISTRATION hereby recognizes the vital and essential role
which county governments play in the American federal system. In partner-
ship with the federal government and/or the states and cities, counties
play a very important role in delivering a great array of services. The
nation's 3,104 county governments employ more than 1.4 million persons
and administer annual budgets totalling in excess of $60 billion.
IN RECOGNITION of these facts all federal departments, agencies, and
staff of the Executive Office of the President are hereby directed as
follows:
'Federal Advisory Committees and Commissions. When a group is
formally designated to advise the Government of the United States with
respect to any program in which there is a significant involvement by
county government, every effort should be made to have qualified county
officials appointed to these bodies.
Meetings and Briefings with Federal Officials. When federal officials
assemble groups to advise and counsel with them and the subject of that
consultation concerns programs in which there is a significant county
involvement, county officials shall be invited to participate in these
sessions on terms of equality with other participants.
Executive Orders, Draft Legislation, and Rules and Regulations. Ail
~federal agency personnel will exercise great care when in the preparation
of executive orders, draft legislation or rules and regulations there is
a significant county involvement in the activities discussed, counties
shall be clearly identified as being involved and not lumped under some
vague phrase such asp "and other local governments" or "and communities."
Speeches and Pronouncements. In speeches, addresses and other
communications with the public, county governments shall be shown equal.
consideration with cities and states where there is significant county
involvement. In these cases when the phrase "states and cities" appears,
the phrase shall say, "states, cities and counties." When the phrase
"governors and mayors" appears, the phrase shall specify "governors,
mayors and county officials."
The President of the United States expects all employees of the
federal establishment to follow the spirit, letter, and intent of this
executive order.
May 3, 1978 (Afternoon-Adjourned from April 20)
Motion to adopt the foregoing resolution was offered~by Mr. Lindstrom,-seconded byMr.
Dorrier, and carried by the following recorded vote:
AYES: Messrs. Dorrier, Fisher, Henley, Lindstrom and Roudabush.
NAYS: None· ~ ~
ABSENT: Dr. Iachetta. ~ ~f~- ~
Agenda Item No. 2. Work Session: Pay and Classification Plan Revision.
Mr. Agnor briefed for the Board his memorandums of April 26 and May 3, 1978, on the
above referenced subject:
"The revised pay plan as prepared by Municipal Advisors, Inc. has been reviewed
in its entirety by Mr. Agnor, with the Department Heads reviewing Sections
III, iV and V; and employees reviewing Section III.
Section I of the report~ explains the gene~al~principles of a Position
Classification Plan and an explanation of the terms used in the Plan.
It emphasizes that a classification plan is an inventory of positions,
not employees. Conclusions of the consultant were as follows:
The current plan is generally accurate.
Clerical classifications were consolidated and reduced in number.
Ten positions were recommended to be reclassified upwards.
Seven positions were found to be overclassified.
Section II briefly discusses the general principle of salaries for services
performed, the major purposes being to be competitive and to be in proper
relation or ranking to each job. Conclusions and.recommendations on the
compensation part of the~plan are summariz~ed~as follows: ~r ~
1. Positions found to be below market were mostly in the clerical field.
2. A salary schedule beginning at $.2.65 per.hour (containing six 5%
merit steps and two 5% longevity steps) is recommended.
3. Employees have.been placed on the salary~schedule at the step
closest to their current sa!ary~without producing a decrease~
4. Total cost of the proposed plan is $125,891.
Section III is in two sections: Installation and Administration and the
Employees Handbook. These sections are the most important and sh6uld receive
close scrutiny.
The section on Installation and Administration provides definitions used in
the administration of the plan covering merit increases, longevitY'steps,
promotions, demotions, reprimands, dismissal, etc. The Plan is administered
by the County Executive with the Board retaining authority to reclassify
positions, and approve general increases to all employees, similar to the
present Plan. The most significant change in this part of the report is the
recommendation to establish mandatory retirement at age 65.
Objections of the Plan are titled and numbered as follows:
Instal!at,on and Administration.
Position Classification Plan.
Compensation Plan.
These three sections are sim~!ar to the~preSent Plan, but progide be~ter
definitions of the terms used, and improved descriptions of the authorities
and procedures involved.
The Employees Handbook is in the same format as the current handbook, and
retains most of its information. Major c~hanges are as follows:
Access to personnel files is added in gccordance with ~he
Privacy Protection Act of 1976.
Overtime policy is amended, removing references to the~Fair
Labor Standards Act in the current handbook, and establishing
quarte~ ~reports to the County~Executive~s Office.
Accumulated vacation time (annual leave time) has been amended
and simplified to be twice the annual leave earned by the
employee. An additional increment of 1/4 day per month is
recommended for employees after ten years of service, increasing
the current rate of 1 1/4 days per month after five years of
service to 1 1/2 days per month after ten years of service.
Sick leave is proposed to be reduced from 1 1/4 days per month
to one day per month, and the current limit of 90 days
accumul~ation is recommended to be removed. No compensation
is paid for accrued sick leave upon termination of employment.-
A provision for extraordinary sick leave is~added prov%ding for
employees with outstanding attendance records to be granted an
advance on sick leave by the County Executive during extended
illnesses, to be "paid back" upon return to work. · · -
May 3, 1978 (Afternoon-Adjourned from April 20)
224
Leaves of absence are recommended to be granted by the County
Executive rather than the Board of Supervisors as required in
the current handbook.
Provisions for "maternity leave" in the current handbook have
been rewritten as "leave for extended d~sability" with the
reference to maternity being removed.
A section on Political Activity has been added encouraging
employees to vote, but prohibitng participation in politics,
except elected employees or those appointed by elected officers.
Additionally, it recommends requiring a leave of absence when
an employee becomes a candidate for public office, except for
constitutional officers. (This entire section, in the staff's
opinion, needs rewriting.)
Review of the consultant's report indicates some revisions are desirable.
The following are presented for consideration:
Ail references in the consultant's report to merit and longevity
· ncreases described as successful job performance should be amended
to read outstanding job performance.
2. Mandatory retirement at age 70 to comply with recent Federal laws.
Overtime policy simplified (providing compensatory time only) with
pay being allowed only where overtime is regularly scheduled and
funded in the budget.
Political activity rewritten to limit participation during normal
working hours, and prohibiting employees from using their jobs to
~--±nf!uence citizens or other employees concerning their political
beliefs. ~
Adding a section on employee indebtedness to the County, requiring
employees to pay ~taxes,~'licenses, and fees when due, prohibiting
disbursement of pay checks to employees with delinquencies due
their employer.
The revisions to the Classification and Pay Plan clarifies ambiguities in
the current Plan, updates some policies to comply with changes in Federal or
State laws, and improves benefits for longer term employees (annual and sick
leave). Salary range amendments improve the lower salaried employees,
particularly in the clerical staff, and reduces some higher salaried positions.
An effort was made to involve the employees in the review of the Plan in order
to receive their opinions prior to its adoption, and to avoid surprises
caused~hy changes. The Plan has been generally well received, and a~o
proposal for its adoption simultaneous with a salary schedule adjustment
on May 1, rather than the pianned adjustment on July 1, has been accepted
by our employees.
The cost to adopt the consultant's proposal is calculated to be $125,891.
This would place each employee on the closest step to his/her current
salary in the range assigned to his?her position. The salary schedule used
for this calculation begins at $2.65 per hour in Range 1 and stops at
Range 29 ($21,715-$30,554). The current schedule beg~s at $2.62 per hour
and stops at Range 31 ($23,572-$30,083). Employees whose positions do not
have a range change, or whose positions in the current plan overlap any
change in range such that their move to the closest step involves less
than a full step move, receive a 1·2% ±ncrease in the consultants proposal.
116 employees of 183 classified positions receive this increase, and the
others are scattered with increases up to 6%, except clerical employees
whose ranges change up to 12%.
The cost of $125,891 represents an increase in payroll costs of 4.3% and
depending upon the perspective given, the largest group of employees (116
or 63%) will benefit 1.2%, with 70% of the employees receiving less than the
5% adjustment proposal in the FY-79 budget. Clerical employees, totalling
43 positions and composing 23% of the employees, receive the greatest
benefit, which is important.
Of the $125,891 cost, the FY-79 budget carried $140,000 for a 5% adjustment
for all employees. Review of the consultants proposal with adjustments
downward of some range proposals, agreed to by the consultant, makes the
adoption of the Plan possible at a cost of $174,286, an additional cost of
$48,395 over the consultants proposal and $34,286 over the FY-79 budget
funds. This proposal would provide each employee with a minimum of a 5%
increase, and would use a salary schedule beginning at $2.78 per hour for
classified employees and ending at Range 29 ($22,797-$32,082). It would
place the~schedu!e closer to the minimum wage of $2.85 scheduled to go
into effect in January '79. A majority of employees (63%) would receive
up to a 6.5% increase, with other increases ranging to.17%. Three dispatchers
in the Sheriff's Office will receive the largest increase (29%). Four employees
will be in the "F" step of the range, one employee will be off the scale, and
no employee will be in the longevity steps (L-1 and L-2).
The $34,286 can be funded in part with $15,000 from the~ppropr±ation in the
Personnel budget for merit raises ($35,000 appropriation) and the balance~
from salary sa~ings in personnel turnover. With the majority of the amployees
225
May-3, 1978 (Afternoon-Adjourned from April 20)
receiving between 5% and'6~]'5~, i't is recommended the .adjustment be adopted
with an effective~date of~May 1,. incorporating t~e. Plan re~ision and the
fiscal salary adjustments into one change.
With the above as background information, .the Board began a review of Section III,
installation and Administration, of the revised Plan. The following changes were agreed to
by consensus:
Under the Definition section:
b. Re-employment. Second sentence to be changed to read:
A~ ~Time earned in~,p~vious employment shall not be counted towards the probationary
period, annual leave, eem~,e-&~a~, or other longevity based employment conditions or
benefits. (Continue with paragraph)
c. Reinstatement shall be defined .... An individual returning to the employ .... Annivers~
dates for all reinstated employees will remain unchanged.
All tlme earned prevlous ....
d. Administrative Increase. Strike whole paragraph·
e. Merit Increase shall be defined as an increase of one'step within the pay range of a
class that is awarded to an employee upon the completion of twelve calendar months of ,~eee~e
outstanding job performance. Merit increases may become effective on or after the employee's
anniversary date, This~increase is not au~omaticall~awarded, but is given based on a~e
~ema~e outstanding job performance. ShOuld a merit increase be delayed, the employee's
anniversary date of eligibility for the next merit increase will not be affected. ~e-ame~e~-
~e-e~e-~ea~-$~em-~he-~a~e-~he-me~&~-&~e~eaee-~&~a~-~eeame-e$~ee~&~e. Me~it increases shall
only be awarded to S~&&-~&me permanent employees.
f. Longevity Steps - In addition to the .... After two years of e~eeeee¢~A outstanding
service at the top .... After two years of ,~e,~**~ outstandi, ng service on the (L-i) step
.... In all cases, .... At no time shall employees be promoted into a longevity step in
~e a new position, higher ....
m. Withholding of St"ep or Merit Increase. Strike entire paragraph.
u. Retirement shall .... Retirement from full-time service with the County is mandatory at
age $~ ~.0. for all employees. Current employees will not be affected for three'years from the
date of adoption of this plan. Law enforcement employees are covered under separate regulatic
w. Administrative Termination. Add sentence at end of paragraph to read: Every effort
will be made in the first instance to find employment in another department, if at all possibl
Employment Types
Probation Period. Add sentence reading: Ail probationary periods may. be extended up to
an additional six months, with,the approval of the county executive.
General
Anniversary Date - The anniversary date .... This date'shall ~e~ema~&~ be one calendar
year .... : the employee's initial employment;.reemployment; demotion; promotion;
&~e~eaee~ or, transfer ....
Installation and administration
1.3 Mem&$ Classified,Service
Me~&~ Classified service shall include all employees ....
shall be in the me~&~ classified service and shall be ....
Ail current and future ...
1.4 Purposes
Personnel regulations ... for each position in the mem&% classified service at all
ctimes. The ....
a. That employment in the me~&~ classified service ....
b. That all appointments and promotions to positions in the me~ classified service
shall be on the basis ....
1.6
e. That each employee in the men-%C, c-lassified'-service ....
Appeals
Any employee or applicant may appeal in writing to the County Executive concerning any
official action of.any departmental head relating to these regulations or the County's Classi-
fication and Compensation plan. After providing a reasonable opportunity for all interested
parties to be heard, the County Executive shall render a decision, which shall be final.
(STRIKE REMAINDER OF PARAGRAPH.)
Y
ns.
May 3, 1978 {Afternoon-Adjourned from April
225
3.1 Establishment of Compensation Plan
There is hereby established ... County Executive. The official pay plan ... classes of all
positions in the me~A~ classified service. The Board of Supervisors ....
Next the Board reviewed the Albemarle County Employees Handbook which is contained as
part of the Pay ~lan. The following changes were made by consensus:
Hours of Work
The normal work week of a full-time employee is 40 hours or five, eight-hour days from 8:00
A.M. to 5:00 P.M., except for law enforcement personnel. One hour is allowed for lunch.
Overtime Policy was completely rewritten to read as follows:
The authorization and control of all overtime work is the direct responsibility of the
department head. Overtime assignments are permitted only when required by operational
necessity, and without which the normal functioning of the agency concerned would be adversly
affected. Employees will be compensated with compensatory time, calculated at a time and a
half rate for overtime hours worked, and taken when the employee requests, and the department
head approves. Regularly scheduled overtime, funded in the annual budget, and required for
the operation of a department, may be compensated with pay in lieu of compensatory time.
Such pay will be calculated at a rate of one and one-half times the hourly compensation of
the employees involved.
Overtime Hours Defined
Overtime hours are defined as all those hours exceeding the average rate of 40 hours in one
week over a fixed work schedule (i.e. 7 days, 28 days, etc.) established by the appointing
authority, or on any day observed as a County holiday.
Employees separating from County employment shall use all accumulated compensatory time prior
to separation. Employees earning overtime pay under regularly scheduled overtime shall be
compensated for all accumulated overtime hours in their final pay check.
Child protective service workers serving on-call are entitled to compensation as approved by
the County Welfare Board; described as follows:
For all workers covering on-call responsibilities, one hour of compensatory
time will be given for each eight (8) hour shift of stand-by-duty.
When a worker is actually called out to provide direct door-to-door service,
he or she will be compensated at his or her regular hourly rate of pay for
each hour spent if it requires over two hours in an eight-hour period.
Back-up workers will be compensated for direct door-to-door service as
indicated by the rate stated in item No. 2. No compensation, however,
will be given for stand-by duty.
No worker will be entitled to receive compensatory time for on-call duty
if the amount of time spent during an eight-hour period in direct
door-to-door service is more than two hours.
insurance Benefits
Employees are .... The employees' coverage .... The employees' family may also be covered
under the plan for a-~em&~a~ an additional cost paid b.y. the employee. A more ....... ._- _ '-,
Life Insurance costs under VSRS are shared .... (Add the following sentence at the end of
that paragraph) Law enforcement personnel and persons over .age 65 are covered by different
provisions, details of which are available in the Personnel Office.--
The County makes available .... Cancer care may be ... provided that they have ~e~e~ not had
cancer~ within the past ten years. Full coverage under this plan is available ~ 30 days
following .... The policy ....
Add the following paragraph:
The County makes available to its employees a family accident insurance plan that provides
medical fees, disability income, dismemberment payments, and accidental death payments for
accidents on or off the job. This insurance is available at the employee's option and cost.
Probationary Employees
The probationary period .... The probationary period for most employees shall be six (6)
months= and may be extended up to an additional six (6) months with the approval of the
count.y executive. For law enforcement ....
Holiday~
9) ~e~ ~i~a~ i~ Ne~em~e~ Friday after Thanksgiving ....
Other holidays .... Permanent employees .... If a holiday falls on a Sunday, .... If a
holiday falls on a Saturday, .... If a holiday falls within your vacation, ~e~ a~e e~&~&e~
~e a ~ee ~ea~e ~a~ ~&~&~ &~ ~e~ e~ ~e ~a~e e~ ~e ~e~&~a~ it is not charged to your
annual leave.
Vacation
Ail me~&$ permanent employees of ....
227
May 3, 1978 (Afternoon-Adjourned from April 20)
Sick Leave
Sick leave is a .... ~-~e Permanent employees begdn to earn ....
Extraordinar~ Sick Leave
In certain circumstances~ such .... In such case, the employee will be placed on annual
leave, then on leave without pay. (STRIKE REMAINDER OF PARAGRAPH.)
Snow Days
If road conditions become .... The County Executive, or .... If snow falls during .... will
be charged to annual leaveror compensatory time.
Leaves of Absence
Leaves of absence fall .... When authorized by ..o employees will receive leaves of absence,
wi~ ~a~ under ....
~esignation, second paragraph: Ail me,i% permanent employees ....
At ~:50 P.M., the'Board agreed to continue working on the Pay/Classification Plan on the
afternoon of May 17, 1978.
Agenda Item No. 3. At 5:51 P.M., at the request of the Chairman, motion was offered by
Mr. Lindstrom, seconded by Dr. Iachetta, to adjourn into executive session to discuss property
acquisition. The motion carried by the following recorded vote:
AYES:
NAYS:
Messrs. Dorrier, Fisher, Henley, Iachetta, Lindstrom and Roudabush.
None.
At 7:30 P.M., the Board reconvened into open session and immediately adjourned the
meeting which had begun at 3:46 P~M.
Chairman