120720 Study Session Mins Adopted • North
Augusta
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Sotath Carolina's Riucifront
MINUTES OF DECEMBER 7,2020
Robert A. Pettit, Mayor
J. Robert Brooks, Councilmember
Pat C. Carpenter, Councilmember
Fletcher L. Dickert, Councilmember
David W. McGhee, Councilmember
Eric H. Presnell, Councilmember
Kevin W. Toole, Councilmember
ORDER OFBUS11VESS
• STUDY SESSION
The study session for the City Council meeting of the City of North Augusta of December 7,2020,
having been duly publicized,was called to order by Mayor Pettit at 6:00 p.m.in Council Chambers
on the third floor of the Municipal Center and recessed at 6:41 pm then re-convened at 7:24 for an
executive session. The study session adjourned at 6:57 p.m.
Per Section 30-4-80(e) notice of the meetings was sent out by email to the current maintained
"Agenda Mailout" list consisting of news media outlets and individuals or companies requesting
notification. Notice of the meetings was also posted on the outside doors of the Municipal Center,
the main bulletin board of the Municipal Center located on the first floor, and the City of North
Augusta website.
Members present were Mayor Pettit, Councilmembers`Brooks, Dickert, McGhee, Presnell, and
Toole. Councilmember Carpenter was absent.
Also in attendance were James S. Clifford, City Administrator; Rachelle Moody, Assistant City
Administrator; Kelly F. Zier, City Attorney; Cammie T. Hayes, Director of Finance and General
Services;Richard L.Meyer,Director of Parks,Recreation,and Tourism;John C.Thomas,Director
of Public Safety; Thomas C. Zeaser,Director of Engineering and Public Works; James E. Sutton,
Director of Public Services; Lillian E. Hodges, Director of Planning and Development; J.D.
McCauley,Manager of Human Resources;Ricky Jones,Manager of Information Technology and
Sharon Lamar, City Clerk. The members of the public and the media were also in attendance.
•
ITEM 1. CITY COUNCIL AGENDA: Items on the December 7, 2020 Council
Agenda- Council Discussion
Minutes of Study Session of December 7,2020
• City Administrator, Jim Clifford, led Council's discussion of the December 7, 2020 regular
meeting agenda.
ITEM 2. HUMAN RESOURCES: City of North Augusta Personnel Policies and
Procedures Manual Revision—Council Discussion
J. D. McCauley, Manager of Human Resources, led Council in a discussion of the proposed
revisions to the City of North Augusta Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual.Mr.McCauley
shared highlighted revisions noted on the Human Resources Department Memorandum.
Please see ATTACHMENT#2 for a Human Resources Department Memorandum.
On the motion of Councilmember Brooks, second of Councilmember Toole, Council agreed
unanimously to recess the study session at 6:41 pm and return at the completion of the regular
Council meeting.
At 7:24 pm,following the regular City Council meeting, Council reconvened the study session.
ITEM 3. LEGAL: Executive Session—Reauest of the City Administrator
On the motion of Councilmember McGhee, second of Councilmember Presnell, Council agreed
unanimously to enter into executive session. (Councilmember Carpenter joined the executive
• session via conference call.) In compliance with Section 30-4-70 (a) (2) the City Administrator
requested an executive session for the purpose of:
(2) Discussion of negotiations incident to proposed contractual arrangements and proposed
sale or purchase ofproperty, the receipt of legal advice where the legal advice relates to a
pending, threatened, or potential claim or other matters covered by the attorney-client
privilege, settlement of legal claims, or the position of the public agency in other adversary
situations involving the assertion against the agency of a claim
Discussion was related to the Master Development Agreement of March 15, 2017 related to the
Ballpark Village. Upon returning to open session, council did not take action on matters
discussed in Executive Session.
APPROVED THIS al DAY OF Respectfully submitted,
Dec b ,zo
Sharon Lamar, City Clerk
Robert A.Pettit,Maycff
•
ATTACHMENT #2
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HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and Council
From: J.D. McCauley, Manager of Human Resources
Date: December 7, 2020
Subject City of North Augusta Personnel Policy Revisions
I have enclosed for your review a proposed revision of the North Augusta Personnel
Policy Manual. My intent is for this to be a living document to allow for the City of
North Augusta to be agile in order to keep up with the capricious nature of issues that
impact our workplace and workforce.
• This proposed revision has been externally reviewed by Senior HR Consultant Shellie
Haroski, SPHR, SHRM-SCP,RCC of FGP HR Consulting,the Municipal Association of
South Carolina's Municipal Human Resources Association labor attorney specifically
retained for personnel handbook review Kevin Sturm of Sturm & Cont,P.A., and
Certified Employment and Labor Law Specialist Linda Pearce Edwards of Gignilliant,
Savitz, &Bettis, LLP.
The City Administrator, Assistant City Administrator, City Attorney, Directors, and
Managers have also performed an internal review of this proposed manual.
For comparison I have also enclosed a copy of the current Personnel Policies &
Procedures Manual. Although I have not provided an exhaustive list of all policies
reviewed and brought up to best practice standards, I have provided a summary of
notable changes below:
• Added an anti-harassment policy
• Added donated medical leave policy
• Added Presidents Day&Veterans Day as City observed Holidays
• Added a remote work policy
• Added a social media policy
• Added a whistleblower policy
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• Defined how bereavement leave is accounted for
• Defined part-time employee benefits
• Defined separation of employment terms and conditions
• Removed Confederate Memorial Day Holiday, retained Personal Holiday
• Standardized tuition reimbursement program
• Standardized Holiday leave bank for shift workers
• Updated usage of sick leave eligibility to include for the caring for parents
• Updated appearance standards
• Updated drug& alcohol testing policy
• Updated travel&subsistence allowance policy to be in line with United States
General Services Administration
• Updated vacation accrual rates,payout maximum remains unchanged
• Updated workers compensation policy to be in line with the current provisions
as set forth by the South Carolina Workers Compensation Commission
Moving forward I would like to request both the revocation of the current North Augusta
Personnel Policy &Procedure Manual,and a resolution to approve the proposed North
Augusta Policy Manual be placed on the December 21, 2020 Council agenda.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this proposed revision.
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