City employees’ paid time off, comp time too generous?

There may be some changes in policy ahead for city employees regarding their comp time and paid time off (PTO).

Wayland City Council members had a lengthy discussion Monday night about those two items and about short-term disability. Despite the many comments, there was no decision made and more information is being promised from City Manager Tim McLean about what other municipalities do.

“I think we have excessive paid time off for our employees,” said Councilwoman Tracy Bivins, who also suggested employees’ maximum short-term disability time off be reduced from eight to five days.

She said she compared Wayland’s policies with Plainwell’s and indicated she believes Wayland’s is much more generous.

“As it (the policy) is set up now, employees can get as many as 30 paid days off per year,” Bivins said.

However, 11 of the paid days are due to holidays and there also is vacation time included in that figure.

The other 12 days, she suggested, should be reduced to eight.

“Our residents are paying for this,” Bivins asserted. “And I think if they knew about this they’d be upset.”

Councilman Tim Rose said he is opposed to comp time, saying the city’s policy is much more generous that what he had as an employee at Gordon’s Food Service.

Councilwoman Jennifer Antel said, “I’d like to see this policy be more flexible.”

McLean said, “I am respectful of council’s wishes, but I think we must remember that during the recession, there were pay freezes and reductions in benefits without restoration. The city’s employees made sacrifices.”

Antel responded by saying virtually everybody took a hit in pay and benefits during the recession.

“When times were bad, everyone was struggling.”

Jon Seymour, student representative, cautioned about simply wanting to do whatever other municipalities are doing and noted the city has a solid number of long-time loyal employees.

“Municipalties statewide are getting lean (in personnel) to the point they’re becoming unsustainable,” McLean said. “Sometimes you have to care of your employees to maintain services.”

He also insisted that Wayland’s policies aren’t really out of line when compared to others in Michigan.

The city manager has pointed out in the recent past that the state has cut back in revenue sharing over the last dozen years, making it much more challenging for cities, townships and villages to provide services to residents.

But Bivins insisted something has to be done to make employee benefits less generous.

“It will be a huge savings,” she asserted.

Though Councilwoman Lisa Banas agreed. she cautioned, “We need give our employees assurances that were are doing due diligence.”

Bivins also said she would like to see city employees available to the public during customary business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. She said she frowns on employees taking time off on a regular business day and then making it up when City Hall or the department is closed.

Councilman Rick Mathis said it is a reasonable expectation that city employees be available to the public during customary business hours.

Bivins may have opened a can of worms when she noted she has visited the Police Department during regular business hours, only to see the front door locked.

Police Chief Steve Harper said the department has been short staffed and a sign on the door gives the public a phone number that can be called to get a response.

“We’ve done everything we can but dial the phone number ourselves,” Harper said.

The chief added that while he was working extra hours recently, he did not once receive a phone call.

The entire matter was tabled to give McLean time to provide more information and statistics. Antel said it’s best to let the matter sit until a new budget year begins July 1.

PHOTO: (From left) City Manager Tim McLean and Councilwomen Tracy Bivins and Lisa Banas have a spirited discussion on the issue of employee benefits.