Minutes - 19941210 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 2. Policy and tracking implications when positions dependent upon grant funds are approved John Link reported that the County Personnel Department keeps a record of those positions which are paid from grant or project funds. There is a procedure in the Personnel Ordinance for a reduction in force. However, in most cases, if the money is eliminated for such a position, the employee is assigned to another function. If grant or project money is eliminated, County staff would report to the Board the outcome of eliminating this position and it would be the decision of the Board to continue that function with local funds or to cut the position. Geoffrey Gledhill noted that to eliminate a position, the "for cause basis" for firing is modified by the reduction in force and the County would not have to show cause, poor performance or personal reason. However, every effort would be made to keep the person. John Link will provide the Board with a list of positions funded by grants or other non- county funds. Commissioner Gordon endorsed the County's position of protecting County employees if at all possible. She asked that County Departments focus on creative solutions to handle the workload before increasing positions. She suggested giving flexibility to departments to move employees from one department to another or sharing employees. John Link noted that the County staff is pursuing shared positions and looking at creative solutions before adding positions. He assured the Board that they will investigate all options before asking for new positions. The decision on the desired service level they want to provide to Orange County citizens is paramount to any decision to add additional positions. Commissioner Willhoit does not want the County Departments to be micromanaged. He wants County departments to have more flexibility to reinvent County government and perhaps they can figure out ways to accommodate service needs without additional personnel. Commissioner Gordon agreed with this statement. Commissioner Halkiotis asked that the process for considering new positions be streamlined at budget time so people do not get upset. Commissioner Willhoit asked that before a request is made for a new position that an evaluation be done of the possibility of shifting responsibility within a unit or sharing a position between departments. With regard to efficiencies, Commissioner Gordon emphasized the importance of innovative approaches to government to cut expenses, and referred the concept of "reinventing government" as one approach. The County needs to evaluate its programs to see whether they are all still necessary. Commissioner Willhoit wants the County to be more efficient in the way they deal with paper. It is a mind-set that copies of everything must be made. He wants the County to give more consideration to the use of computers. He would like to have the Zoning Ordinance and the Land Use Plan on disk as well as the agenda packet. He asked that the County go ahead and shift into the information age in government operations. He would like to also have the Planning Board agenda on disk. John Link explained that there is an active Data Processing group examining these very issues. Groupwise - E-Mail should be up and running during the first quarter of 1995. Another area of efficiency has to do with lighting and automobiles.