RESOLUTION NO. 2002-42

 

                         (Elimination of Two Positions Within Public Works Department)

 

 

WHEREAS, on June 13, 2002, the County Commissioners approved the County Engineer's plan to consolidate the road crews into one central operation; and

 

WHEREAS, this consolidation plan included provisions to eliminate two road supervisor positions; and

 

WHEREAS, Robert Bowlby and Jim Winters were the road supervisors for Districts No. 1 and No. 3; 

 

WHEREAS, Mr. Winters and Mr. Bowlby had indicated, prior to the approval of the consolidation plan, that they intended to retire sometime during the summer of 2003; and

 

WHEREAS, in lieu of terminating them as employees under the consolidation plan, the consolidation plan included provisions to create two temporary jobs for Mr. Winters and Mr. Bowlby to work until their anticipated retirement in the summer of 2003; and

 

WHEREAS, the County Engineer represents that he did not intend for the June 13, 2002 consolidation plan to be implemented until January of 2003; and

 

WHEREAS, the County Engineer therefore only intended to provide approximately six (6) months of work for Mr. Winters and Mr. Bowlby in their temporary positions until they retired in the summer of 2003;  and

 

                        WHEREAS, due to unforeseen circumstances, including the resignations of other road crew employees, the County Engineer implemented the consolidation plan immediately instead of waiting until January, 2003; and

 

WHEREAS, because of the earlier then planned implementation of the consolidation plan, the County Engineer has now represented to the County Commissioners that the Public Works Department does not have enough work to productively occupy Mr. Winters and Mr. Bowlby until their retirement; and

 

WHEREAS, the County Engineer has therefore recommended that the County eliminate these two positions effective immediately; and

 


WHEREAS, the County Commissioners have determined that the consolidation plan and the elimination of these two positions has (or would) essentially resulted in a "reduction in force" situation under Chapter X of the County's Personnel Policy; and

 

WHEREAS, the two displaced employees would accordingly, under the terms of the Personnel Policy, be entitled to "bump" employees with less seniority within their or a lower classification; and

 

WHEREAS, Mr. Winters and Mr. Bowlby, who would prefer to retire or resign rather than accept a position in a lower classification at a reduced pay,  will waive their rights under the Personnel Policy to bump other employees from County service, waive their right to collect unemployment insurance paid by the County and release the County from all other claims in return for the County agreeing to pay their health insurance under their current plan for 12-months and to receive their proportionate share of their 2002 longevity pay under the compensation package; and

 

WHEREAS, if the two displaced workers were to exercise their bumping rights under the Personnel Policy, the County would be required to terminate two other employees; and

 

WHEREAS, the County has expended substantial time and resources hiring, training and maintaining these other employees who would be bumped as a result of the reduction in force policy; and

 

WHEREAS, in comparison, Mr. Winters and Mr. Bowlby would only work for the County in these reduced positions for an additional 10-12 months before they retired thereby requiring the County  to hire new employees to replace Mr. Winters and Mr. Bowlby; and

 

WHEREAS, the County Commissioners believe it would be harmful to the public service and would be more costly to the county taxpayers for Mr. Winters and Mr. Bowlby to exercise their bumping rights under the Personnel Policy; and

 

WHEREAS, the County Commissioners believe it is in the best interest of the public to accept Mr. Winters' and Mr. Bowlby's offer to not exercise their "bump" rights and unemployment and encourage them to retire from the County in return for the considerations set out above.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for all the reasons set out above, the Board of County Commissioners of Skamania County, HEREBY RESOLVE TO eliminate the two Temporary Road Maintenance Supervisor positions effective July 31, 2002; and

 


BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County continue to provide Jim Winters' and Bob Bowlby's health insurance at the County's cost under their current plan from August 1, 2002 through July 31, 2003, and to pay them their proportionate longevity pay for the year 2002 upon the conditions that Mr. Winters and Mr. Bowlby:

 

1.         Resign or retire from the County effective July 31, 2002;

 

2.         Agree in writing to waive their "bumping rights" under the Personnel Policy ;

and

 

3.         Agree in writing to release the County from any and all liability arising out

of their employment with Skamania County including but not limited to un-

employment payments as provided under the law.

 

 

PASSED IN REGULAR SESSION this 30th day of July, 2002.