Van Buren Twp. approves 4-day work week for employees

A four-day, 10-hour-per-day work week was approved as a pilot project for Van Buren Township employees for three months, beginning the week of May 30 to Sept. 2.
The plan is to modify the municipal hours of operation to four days and to implement a compressed work schedule for employees.
The unanimous vote of the board of trustees at its May 17 meeting also included the full-time elected official to negotiate a budget-neutral letter of understanding for this pilot program.
The proposed compressed work schedule for municipal administrative employees is 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The proposal was discussed at length at the May 2 work/study session.
“If we’re not able to negotiate a budget-neutral plan, this won’t happen,” said Supervisor Kevin McNamara.
Treasurer Sharry Budd pointed out that the Department of Public Services will have hours of 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the letter of understanding.
Human Resources Director Nicole Sumpter said they will be monitoring how this works and question residents, employees and elected officials.
She said the survey she conducted with 57 participants showed 71% (41) were interested in a shorter work week. There are 60 to 64 administrative personnel, she said.
Director Sumpter said she Googled it and as of April 1, thousands of employees enjoyed their first Friday off. She said if others do it, Van Buren Township will lose employees to them.
“Is it a generational thing? I don’t know,” Sumpter said, referring to Treasurer Sharry Budd’s opposition to the proposal. “We need to try new things.”
She said now the hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for five days. The trial period will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for four days.
“I support it,” Sumpter said. “My job is to take on what the board wants.”
“This has come to us for four straight years,” said Supervisor McNamara. “It’s a three-month trial.” He said he assumes the unions will have questions, he said, noting it has to be cost neutral and good for the union.
“I don’t know what the residents will think of this,” McNamara said.
“I’m leery about township hall being closed one day a week,” said Trustee Kevin Martin.
“I’d like to make you happy, but I can’t,” McNamara said.
“I don’t want you to make me happy. These are my concerns,” Trustee Martin said.
Deputy Supervisor Dan Selman said they have limited work staff and couldn’t have part of the staff work to cover five days and cover vacations and lunches.
Sumpter said no one would go without a building permit and you can pay taxes on line or put the payment in the box out front.
“Can someone get a permit?” Trustee Martin asked.
Dan Power, director of planning and economic development, said most types of permits require more review than a one-day turnaround. He explained details of how this might work, with the final inspection coming when township hall reopens.
He said they can work with whatever restrictions the township puts in place.
“That’s why this is a pilot,” said Clerk Leon Wright. “We’re losing personnel and can’t get new employees. People choose families over work now … We hear that 4 p.m. is too early to close … I think 5 o’clock will solve a lot of issues … It’s poor planning to come for a permit on a Friday … We’ll do a trial.”
“What happens after the trial period?” Trustee Martin asked.
Sumpter said they will survey the employees each month and watch the counters to hear what the residents say.
“Fridays are dead,” McNamara said.
“I’m the person from the old school,” said Treasurer Budd referring to Sumpter’s comments. She said she got two phone calls with comments on the proposal. She recalled the swing shifts during the COVID pandemic.
“I think 10 hours is going to be a long day for employees,” Treasurer Budd said. “And, I’ll be here if they have to be here. All federal holidays are on Mondays and that leaves only three days the township will be open.”
“Now we are giving them paid half-hour lunch to meet their 40 hours,” Budd said. “I’m not in favor, but I’m not too old to try it.”
“If it is working, we’ll work it out with the unions,” McNamara said. “It ends Sept. 2 without board approval.”
Sumpter said there are employees who don’t want it with old-school mentality, but they will work with it.
“All in all, I think we can give it a try,” Sumpter said.
“There are people who are used to doing it one way and don’t want to change,” said trustee Sherry Frazier. “We should give it a try.”
Trustee Reggie Miller said she prefers not to say “old school,” but instead, “just different perspectives.”
“Three-day weeks? I don’t know how that will work,” Trustee Miller said. “We need a proper way of evaluating it.”
In other business at the one-hour-20-minute meeting on May 17, the board:
• Approved the Haggerty Subdivision Private Sidewalk Program at an estimated township cost of $625,152, including $26,677.20 the township will supplement without recuperation which will be used to fund sidewalk repairs and replacements in approaches to roads. The first notice was to be sent out to residents this week with the estimated cost. After the bids property owners will get a notice of how much it would cost using the contractor chosen by the township. Property owners may contract out the work for their properties themselves, if desired. McNamara said the township is lending the money out to its own homeowners to get the dangerous sidewalks fixed and giving them three years to pay it back;
• Approved a lease agreement with Van Buren Public Schools to use Haggerty Elementary School for temporary Senior Center operations while the Community Center is being built and the Senior Center remodeled with a budget amendment of $85,600 for 2022. The expenses for 2023 will be addressed in the 2023 budget. The Senior Center is expected to move out of the building at the end of 2023. There is no lease cost for the building except maintenance and utilities. The proposed hours of operation for the Senior Center at Haggerty will be 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, regardless of changes to the township hall hours;
• Approved adding a Human Resource line item of $70,350 to the supervisor’s budget. Expenses for Human Resources historically have been pulled from all the departments “other” accounts. The expenses include $20,000 of COVID testing and $15,000 for quarterly trainings. Also included are retirement luncheons and employee appreciations;
• Approved the selection of RNA facilities management for the 2022-24 landscaping maintenance services for the three-year total at $95,260, the lowest of three bids. RNA will take care of trees, landscaping, flower tending, edging, pruning, pulling weeds at all township facilities;
• Approved the supervisor’s reappointments of Walter Rochowiak and Eileen Parent to the Water and Sewer Commission with terms to expire June 1, 2024;
• Heard Clerk Leon Wright said everyone in the township will get a new voter registration card and a map of his or her precinct which went out in the mail together. He said some precincts will change. He said precinct 8 will no longer be at Haggerty School, but is being moved to Edgemont Elementary School. Some voters were moved because of the maximum number allowed in each precinct; and
• Heard McNamara announce that Meals on Wheels needs volunteer drivers to help deliver meals to seniors. He also announced the Splash Pad at Quirk Park is scheduled to open May 28.