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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2017.11.01 - 37115 November 1 , 2017 Chairperson Hoffman called the meeting of the Human Resources Committee to order at 1:32 p.m. in Committee Room A of the Commissioners’ Auditorium Wing, County Service Center in Pontiac, Michigan. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT : Bob Hoffman, Adam Kochenderfer, Da vid Bowman, Thomas Middleton, Philip Weipert, Helaine Zack COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Michael Spisz OTHERS PRESENT CIRCUIT COURT Suzanne Hollyer, Friend of the Court COUNTY EXECUTIVE Malcolm Brown, Deputy County Executive HUMAN RESOURCES Jordie Kramer, Director Kristy Slosson, Manager Frank Russell, Analyst III Sara Kohn, Analyst II Hailey Seguin, Analyst II SHERIFF’S OFFICE Dale Cunningham, Fiscal Officer PUBLIC Mattie Hatchett, Oakland Cty. Comm. Emeritus HOPE FOR AMERICA (HFA) Carlton D. Jones, Director BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Chris Ward, Administrative Director Michael Andrews, Sr. Analyst Pamela Worthington, Committee Coordinator APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES Middleton moved approval of the previous minutes of October 18, 2017, as printed. Supported by Kochenderfer. Motion carried on a voice vote. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Weipert moved approval of the Agenda , as presented. Supported by Bowman. Motion carried on a voice vote. OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 1200 NORTH TELEGRAPH ROAD, BLDG. 12E, PONTIAC, MICHIGAN 48341 -0475 Telephone: (248) 858 -0100 FAX: (248) 858 -1572 HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE Thomas Middleton Philip Weipert Michael Spisz Helaine Zack BOB HOFFMAN Chairperson ADAM KOCHENDERFER Vice Chairperson DAVID BOWMAN Minority Vice Chairperson HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE Page 2 November 1, 2017 PUBLIC COMMENT None. AGENDA ITEMS 1. FRIEND OF THE COURT – FY 2017 – FY 2021 COOPERATIVE REMBURSEMENT PROGRAM (CRP) GRANT AMENDMENT UNDER 15% The Board of Commissioners had previously adopted MR #16257 to accept the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Office of Child Support Cooperative Reimbursement Program (CRP) Grant for the period of October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2021. The Friend of the Court (FOC) has reviewed its operations and is proposing an amendment of the FY 2018 County budget for some restructuring at the FOC. The FOC is seeking approval to eliminate one full-time eligible Friend of the Court Systems Clerk position in the Imaging and Systems Unit, and to upwardly reclassify three (3) full-time eligible positions due to the higher level of work those individuals are performing . For example, Ms. Hollyer explained that they are testing the new Windows operating system that needs to coordinate with the State and County programs for things such as e-filing. These employees do a lot of help -desk type functions that other employees in the County are not doing. There is also a request to add one position in the Interstate Unit. This area of the Friend of the Court is experiencing a higher volume of work and more complex work due to the recent passage of the 2008 State Unifo rm Support Act. The Act provides that if someone comes into the FOC who lives in Oakland County but their divorce was filed in another state, the FOC is required to facilitate their participation in a hearing with another state. Zack moved to report to the full Board with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted. Supported by Middleton. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Spisz absent. 2. SHERIFF’S OFFICE – FISCAL YEAR 2018 SECONDARY ROAD PATROL AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROGRAM GRANT ACCEPTANCE The Sheriff’s Office is requesting approval of a grant award in the amount of $702,096 from the Michigan Department of State Police (MSP), Office of Highway Safety Planning to conduct secondary road patrol activities for the period of October 1, 2017 throug h September 30, 2018. Mr. Cunningham explained that this grant started in 1978, and it used to fund 18 positions, but now it only funds 5 positions. The MSP gets the funding source from a $5.00 surcharge for traffic tickets in the State of Michigan, and the funds are distributed to Lansing. A complicated formula is used to determine the amount of funding for policing agencies in Michigan. Because of the reduction in grant funding, the Sheriff’s Office is requesting the deletion of one full-time eligible Deputy II position. Four full-time Deputy II positions and one full -time Sergeant position will be continued in the Traffic Unit/Patrol Services Division. Weipert moved to report to the full Board with the recommendation that the attached suggested resolution be adopted. Supported by Kochenderfer. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Spisz absent. 3. SHERIFF’S OFFICE – FISCAL YEAR 2018 AUTOMOBILE THEFT PREVENTION AUTHORITY (ATPA) GRANT ACCEPTANCE The Sheriff’s Office is requesting ap proval of a grant award in the amount of $1,739,051 in addition to HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE Page 3 November 1, 2017 Auto Theft pass-through funding from the City of Detroit in the amount of $152,939 . The total required County match is $535,025 for the period of October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018 . This grant has been available since 1986. Mr. Cunningham explained that funding for this grant comes from the State and is generated from a $1 surcharge on every insurance policy for personal vehicles. The funding level for this grant does not include an inflationary factor, and the required grant match from the County to the State has increased over the years. The grant supports the continuation of one (1) Sergeant, five (5) full - time Deputy II positions in the Sheriff’s Office/Investigative & Forens ic Services/Special Teams Unit, one (1) full-time eligible Deputy II position working as part of the Detroit Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA) team, one (1) full-time eligible Deputy II position contracted by the City of Pontiac (reimbursed by the ATPA grant) and the creation of one (1) 1,000 hours/year Court/Park Deputy position in the Sheriff’s Office/Investigative & Forensic Services/Special Teams Unit. Weipert moved to report to the full Board with the recommendation that the attached suggeste d resolution be adopted. Supported by Bowman. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Spisz absent. 4. MR #17260 – BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – SUPPORT OF “BAN -THE-BOX” INITIATIVE AND THE REMOVAL OF THE INQUIRY INTO PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY FROM OAKLAND COUNTY EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS Commissioner Quarles introduced the resolution that supports the “Ban -the-Box” in itiative to give all applicants the opportunity for fair and equal employment with Oakland County . The “Ban -the-Box” initiative recommends the removal of the question about a person’s criminal background on Oakland County employment applications. Commissioner Quarles indicated that the question can be asked after the first round of reviewing applications. Commissioner Quarles explaine d that this initiative is to help those who have served their time and want to be a productive citizen. Commissioner Quarles indicated that some of Oakland County’s neighboring counties, such as Macomb, Wayne and Genesee Counties, as well as some cities have used this initiative. Commissioner Quarles indicated that this initiative would help with recidivism, and she first heard about this initiative at a NACo conference a couple of years ago. Oakland County Commissioner Emeritus Mattie Hatchett spoke i n support of the “Ban-the-Box” initiative indicating that when the box is checked, the applicant is immediately eliminated, and people don’t take time to review the application to determine what the applicant may be able to do. Ms. Hatchett indicated that once someone goes to prison, they should have an equal opportunity to turn their lives around. This was initiated at NACo, through the Justice Committee, and it was passed and sent to the regular boards of NACo. Counties were encouraged to ban the box. Ms. Hatchett explained that if the question is removed from employment applications, there is still an opportunity to do a cr iminal check, and an employer may find that the applicant may be superior to the other applicants applying for a job . Ms. Hatchett requested Board of Commissioners’ support for the “Ban the Box” initiative. Ms. Kramer stated that some positions, as part of the minimum q ualifications, require that the applicant does not have a felony conviction. However, if the job does not have that caveat, and the applicant does meet the minimum qualifications, tho se applications are forwarded to the department for review , and decisions are made from there. Commissioner Quarles expressed her understanding that the box may not be able to be banned for all positions; however, if a job does not have the criteria, she would request that the box be banned. Ms. Kramer indicated that as part of the Oakland County Merit System resolution, “Article XI, Section 6 of the Michigan State Constitution, states that a Michigan county may establish, modify or discontinue a merit system for its employees by ordinance or resolution of its governing body, which shall not take effect until approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon.” Section VI.C(1) of the Merit System resolution addresses the application process. Ms. Kramer quoted the following from that section: HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE Page 4 November 1, 2017 “Applications to take an open competitive examination may be rejected if the applicant fails to meet the minimum qualifications for the classif ication; if the application was not received, postmarked or electronically submitted with confirmation by the announced closing date for filing applications; if the applicant has a documented record of previous unsatisfactory service in County employment o r elsewhere, of such nature as to demonstrate unsuitability for employment in a position of the classification for which the applicant is applying; or if the applicant has been found guilty of a felony, a crime of moral turpitude or has received a dishonorable discharge from the armed forces of the United States.” Zack moved to report to the full Board with the recommendation that the attached suggested resolution be adopted. Supported by Bowman. Following discussion, Commissioners Quarles, Bowman and Zack suggested that a study group be created to investigate the possibility of banning the box on applications for inquiry into felony convictions. Zack withdrew her support for this resolution, and Commissioner Bowman concurred. Zack moved to recommend that the Chairperson of the Human Resources Co mmittee create a study group to determine what future action can be taken to move forward on the “Ban the Box” initiative. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Spisz absent. COMMUNICATIONS A. FY 2017 Position Change Summary (Final) Weipert moved to receive and file Communication A. Supported by Middleton. Motion carried on a voice vote. OTHER BUSINESS/ADJOURNMENT Chairperson Hoffman created the Ban the Box Study Group and app ointed Commissioner Weipert as Chairperson and Commissioners Kochenderfer and Bowman as members of the study group. There being no other business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 2:08 p.m. _______________________________________ __________________________________ Pamela L. Worthington, Committee Coordinator Chris Ward , Administrative Director NOTE: The foregoing minutes are subject t o Committee approval.