Secretary position divides board
HR position added despite Super’s noBy LYDIA COTTRELL lcottrell@timesobserver.com
The Warren County School Board of Directors approved the addition of a secretarial position but not before two members of the Warren County School District clashed on the necessity of the position.
Prior to the special board meeting, four rapid-fire committee meetings were held. In the old business section of the Personnel, Athletics and Co-Curricular committee agenda, Director of Human Resources Karen Pascale presented a comparison of WCSD and other school districts in terms of human resource department support staff.
Her argument - too much work, not enough people.
In the comparison, Pascale illustrated the necessity of a full-time secretary with ratios. In Millcreek Township School District, there is a ratio of 133 district employees for each human resource staff member. In WCSD, the ratio is 235 employees per human resource staff member.
The comparison also used Monroe Township School District, the former employer of Superintendent Dr. Robert Terrill. Although Monroe Township School District didn't have human resource department, the comparison showed, using as little as four administration members, it would create a ratio of 164 to one.
"All together, they had 15 administrators. We never had a personnel department," Terrill said of his former employer. "That's a cheap way to do it. I'm not sure if you want to present this department."
Considering the different ratios, Pascale said, "Regardless, if you look at the amount of employees we interview....it's quite enormous."
Although Pascale focused on the ratios, Terrill noted, "Millcreek has only three people in its HR department and we have three and a half."
Terrill continued and said he couldn't recommend the new position.
"We don't have it budgeted," he added.
"I believe we definitely need to have this addition," Pascale said. "Not just the person but the hours."
According to Pascale, there is a current part-time position that would be eliminated for the creation of the secretary to director of human resources. The change would cost the school district about $16,893 in addition costs per year.
School board president Kim Angove asked if employees in Pascale's office were able to get their work done.
"No," Pascale said, adding that when the administrative assistant is absent, "things get backed up."
At the special meeting, the motion passed with five of the eight present board members voting in the affirmative. Board members Donna Zariczny, Tom Knapp and Dave Wortman voted against the measure.
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Morrison
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06-30-09 10:35 AM
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Thanks. If there is a split in the board, I'd say those people all have the same knowledge of the subject......
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utherjorge
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06-30-09 9:27 AM
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alkalinegram, if you were as intelligent as you think you are, you would recognize that your logic is completely flawed in your post. Both Morrison and Brutus bring up valid points that should cause great concern. Furthermore, bringing Beaty into the mix serves no other reason than to demonstrate how badly the school board manages things...so you fail again. Lastly, it bears mentioning that Pascale's very close relationship to members on the board are what essentially guaranteed this passing. Who oversees her? I'd like to see her performance reviews. Perhaps the taxpayers should watch to see how often the staff leaves at 3pm, or sees how many roll in late to start the day. I suspect a full day's work would negate the need for a new position.
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Morrison
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06-30-09 9:19 AM
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If thee weren't so many bosses there wouldnt have to be so many secretaries. This has been the topic for discussion before. Fire from the top level assistants or make them secretaries. So a person has to work with that outfit to be speak intelligently? That has been proved wrong in the past.
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alkalinegram
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06-30-09 8:51 AM
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Are you two commentors affiliated with the school district in any way? If not, I am not so sure you are speaking inteligently. If the numbers presented are accurate, then we should probably have more of these postions. Maybe it should have been in the budget a long time ago? It should have been a better planned situation but if the need is there, then its undeniable. WCSD always seems to have lagged behind the norm in many aspects. Like whats going to happen with Beaty...How long are they going to debate what to do there? The place is old, needs fixed or donated as a museum. New high schools? No way, we need the ones we have, fuel prices will swallow what it will cost to build new schools over the long term. But who am I? I just think alot.
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Brutus
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06-30-09 8:32 AM
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It seems times are tough everywhere, except for our school system. Expense budget is up, no break for taxpayers, so let's add a new position that isn't in the just-passed budget. Hats off to the board members that voted no to this unnecessary new position.
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Morrison
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06-30-09 6:16 AM
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Isn't it amazing that with the coming of all lthe time saving technology we worried about taking away jobs, they just created more? Anybody who can't do most of their own work should be replaced..not given an additional secretary.
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