The City of Hollister plans to change the employee
classification of department heads to an at-will status, which will
raise accountability within the ranks and increase the authority of
City Manager Dale Shaddox to terminate contracts without a lengthy
process.
The City of Hollister plans to change the employee classification of department heads to an at-will status, which will raise accountability within the ranks and increase the authority of City Manager Dale Shaddox to terminate contracts without a lengthy process.
If implemented, the change would not affect the current roster of seven department heads. It would apply only to newly hired department leaders.
Shaddox said officials intend to instate the policy before hiring a new chief of police. The city began a search to replace Bill Pierpoint after he announced his retirement in late March.
Under the current system, department heads fall under the same civil service classification as other city employees – excluding the city manager and city attorney, who both carry the at-will status.
For civil service employees to be fired, a “progressive discipline” process includes several stages of punishment for offenses before termination is possible, according to Director of Management Services Clay Lee.
“There is a substantial amount of documentation for replacing and hiring under the civil service system,” Shaddox said. However, he added that “under at-will, the process is much shorter.”
According to officials, the change in policy does not reflect any difficulties experienced while attempting to terminate current or previous department heads.
“This is not something that has to do with history,” City Councilman Tony Bruscia said.
The change would not only raise the bar of accountability for future department heads, but the classification also includes more performance-based incentives, Lee said.
Additionally, at-will contracts usually include a severance clause, which would require the city to pay a terminated employee’s salary for a given period, Lee said.
Some officials did not express enthusiasm about the plan.
Community Development Director Bill Card pointed out it may cost the city more money because of potential severance clause payments.
“If the city manager doesn’t like your work, you could be gone,” said Card, whose job status would not be affected by the change.
Shaddox said the idea was developed when former interim city manager Ed Kreins noted the absence of an at-will status, which has become common throughout the state. Councilman Tony LoBue then requested the Council receive a report regarding a potential change of policy. Lee and City Attorney Elaine Cass have been assigned to return to the Council with a prospective approach.
LoBue said there is a “general consensus” among Council members to support the idea, especially on the heels of several retirements within the past year.
Along with Pierpoint, former Community Development Director Ray Hetherington retired in July and former airport Manager Allen Ritter retired in September, although that position is not officially classified as a department head. It falls under the jurisdiction of the public works department and is classified as an executive management position.
Officials are unsure at this point whether those employees, who are second in line to department heads, would be included as at-will. Other examples of executive management positions include redevelopment director, recreation services manager and deputy director of public works.
Shaddox said he supports plans for hiring department heads as at-will employees. And, he said, “Likewise for the executive management team. They all really should be at-will.”
Shaddox, who started as city manager in early May, said his former employer, the City of Cotati, classified its department heads as at-will.
“I think it’s a standard most cities are moving for,” LoBue said.
As current at-will employees, the jobs of Shaddox and Cass are overseen by the Council, which holds authority to readily terminate their employment.
