SOUTHWICK – The Board of Selectmen discussed ways to alleviate some of the workload for Assistant Sondra “Cindy” Pendleton.
The board met last night and talked about how to give Pendleton some relief. Much of her time is spent working on meeting minutes, which creates a backlog of her other responsibilities.
“I would guess you’re spending 50 percent of your time on minutes,” said Selectwoman Tracy Cesan. “Not just preparing and writing the minutes, but carrying out what happens, like the vote we just took means you now have to do a memo.”
Pendleton said she spends at least 50 percent of her work week “and weekends” on the minutes. Chairman Arthur Pinell asked Pendleton if she needed additional hours or additional help.
“I’m looking for suggestions,” she said.
In addition to Pendleton, who is s full-time employee, administrative assistant Robin Solek works part-time for the board and part-time for the Department of Public Works. Pendleton said Solek had been helping her catch up with transcribing and posting older minutes and they are nearly caught up. She added that once they are caught up, she would still have a workload beyond the hours of her position.
One way she suggested to give some relief was to have a firm deadline for submissions for Monday night selectmen meetings.
“I think there should b a cutoff for paperwork,” she said. “I get paperwork up until 4:30 p.m. Monday.”
A Thursday cutoff was suggested, and while Pendleton said she liked that idea, which would mean there were two days when submissions could not be made and she was concerned about last minute issues of importance.
“There will always be exceptions that have to be made, so there’s this gray area,” Cesan said.
Pinell asked if Pendleton wanted the board to hire someone to take and transcribe minutes, but she said she would still have to go through the minutes to do follow-up and she wanted to stay informed. Selectman Russell Fox suggested a cutoff of noon Thursday for submissions for Monday meetings, which Pinell and Cesan agreed would be the best starting point.
“If we’re going to draw a line, lets do it where it should be,” Pinell said.
The board unanimously approved setting a noon Thursday deadline. Pendleton said she would send a memo to all department heads immediately notifying them of the change.
The board also discussed using a floater to assist Pendleton and Solek. Cesan said the problem with a floater is that it there is no consistency. The board asked that the office staff create an outline if all their duties and they would review their options.
“I just ask that if we consider hiring additional staff that we hire someone who is skilled and educated and who has experience,” Cesan said.
