02/05/1968 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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~ 52, e 2/5/68 The Council turned to the Conunission's reconunendations concerning employment, and with regard to the first reconunendation, Dr. Purdy said he felt the City should co- operate with employers in Lane County to place people in the private .sector, rat~ r than rewrite the City's employment policies. I , II I II II ,I ,I II II I ~ :1 II ~ I I: II :1 II I' Ii 'I " II Ii :1 II il II :1 q Mr. Brewer,explained that a subcommittee of the Conunission is now helping people find work in private industry, and said the reconunendation to the Council was concerned with City positions. Larry Carter, COmmission member, said the private sector should be explored, but this is directed to the City Council to see if a review of the City's testing and selection methods shows whether they are valid for existing City positions. Councilman Anderson remarked that any program for training must have qualified people to do the ". training which will add to personnel costs. Mr. Neustadter said it was not the Conunission's intent with regard 'to its employment reconunendations to create "featherbedding" - rather that realignment of job responsibilities might be used to help the handicapped and unskilled. II I. I! II Ii I' :i I .. I' r ,I i II !: I ~ I' ; Ii i: !; " Ii I' " II ! l: II " I: 1: e The City Manager said it is now the City's policy to give equal opportunity in employ- ment, but that there would be no harm in a statement to that effect so that it could be a matter of official record. Mrs. Hayward moved seconded by Mr. McNutt that the Council declare the policy that the City shall be an equal opportunity employer. Motion carried. With regard to the Conunission's reconunendations 2, 3, 4, and 5 on employment, the City Manager said it has been the City's general and traditional policy to employ the best people possible and pay the going rate for their services - that it has not been a City personnel policy function to train and assist the unskilled and unemployable in developing themselves to become better able to selytheir services. He said if this policy is changed, it would need to be spelled out to determine what the results might be in terms of expense for the services given. He -said the City's personnel section was recently reorganized, and it would be most desirable for the new Personnel Director to have an opportunity to work with the Human Rights Conunission to try to determine the best implementation of the Conunission's reconunendations and the cost involved.. The Manager expressed special concern with regard to any change in pro- cedure established for selection of policemen" and firemen which would result in .less qualified people for these departments. I The City Manager said a training program would necessitate a careful study of in- dividual jobs and must be the specific task of some individual trained in that work. No action was taken." r \: tl !,'\ l'r 1 :1 II, :i ~ ! ..r.~, -= Mrs. Lauris moved seconded by Mrs. Hayward to approve Item 7 of the Conunittee report. i , I I, II II II II I, 'I II 'I " II Ii :1 II Ii " 'I II II Ii Ii II !I II II II Ii 'I I ,I I' II 11 ~J Councilwoman Lauris asked if there has been consideration of extending civil service to cover all City employes. The City Manager said most of the staff feels there is a need for better testing and selec- tion methods, but not formal civil service. He said standardization of employment practices for all departments is needed, and that a progress report would be forthcoming from the Personnel Department with regard to changes being made. I Councilman McDonald asked if the words "as an equal opportunity employer" legally could be added to the regulations setting up civil service. The Manager said equal opportunity in employment so far as civil service is concerned can be clarified in the resolution which will be brought back declaring the City is an equal opportunity employer. Councilwoman Lauris suggested the possibility of applying for Federal funds to help defray expense of in-service training. The Manager. suggested Lane Conununity College and Lane Human Resources as sources of specific training programs. e :i ;1 A vote was taken on the motion to approve the Conunittee report, and motion carried (with agreement that the words "and other minority groups" be added after the words "Negro conununity" in the Hayward- Purdy motion directing the Conunission to bring a reconunendation with regard to disseminating informa- tion on housing programs). Mrs. Hayward moved that members of the administration be asked to meet with members of the Human Rights Conunission to explore the possibility of adopting the Conunission's reconunendations on employ- ment - regrouping of functions and jobs and training possibilities. There was no second. The City Manager asked that the balance of the report be placed on file to give the staff an oppor- tunity to bring back a report on the balance of the Commission's reconunendations in the employment area. Councilwoman Lauris pointed out that there should be available a considerable number of jobs in the Valley River Shopping Center upon its completion, and said this should be pointed out to Lane Community College with the idea of their developing a training program so that trained people will be available when they are needed. :1 " ., ;1 I, I' .[ I Mrs. Lauris moved seconded by Mrs. Hayward to make the Human Rights Conunission aware of the potential 2000 jobs which will be available in the Valley River Shopping Center so that it maycontact the i ,i I' I' JI unskilled and untrained people they represent and Lane Conununity College with the idea of providing I; these people with the necessary training to fill the positions, and that the balance of the reconunenda- :' tions. with regard to employment be referred to the staff for a report. Motion carried. r: ': ~: e 2/5/68 - 11