Arkansas Legislative Council Personnel Committee – August 14, 2009
Posted on August 13th, 2009
Date & Time: Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Location: Room 171 , State Capitol
Agenda: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/Lists/Meetings/Attachments/12013/I7714.pdf
Attachments: none
This committee reviews matters regarding the State Uniform Personnel Classification and Compensation Plan; matters pertaining to the adequacy of position classification and pay schedule of state agencies and institutions; matters which require Legislative Council advice in regard to the administration of the State Personnel Classification and Compensation Plan; matters pertaining to the duties of the General Assembly to establish the maximum number of employees; and the maximum annual salaries of all officials and employees of state government shall be referred to this committee.
10:05 am – Meeting called to order by Rep. Wells and Sen. Faris. Currently reviewing monthly reports. I asked questions about Monthly Employment Reports not recieved from various agencies. There are reports still outstanding from April 2009.
10:07 am – Exceptionally well qualfied special entry rates were reviewed for Alicia Rucker, the Rehabilitation Director for AR Rehabilitation Services for $84,500.
10:10 am – AR Dept of Information Services requested a Website Developer, Grade C118. Rep. Andrea Lea asked about inhouse and subcontracted web development.
10:13 am – AR Building Authority requested a Building Maintenance Specialist, Grade C115 (2 positions) Reviewed without question or comment.
10:14 am – Pay Plan Correction Pool Postions reviewed without questions or comments, except for clarification from Rep. Lea confirming that the changes do not impact the budget. She had asked for agenda attachments to provided in advance. They were not.
10:17 am – Temporary Transistion Poll Positions passed over on the agenda.
10:18 am – AR Tech University has requested 25 positions for Graduate Assistants for $20,940 each and an Assistant Director of International Programs for Programs for $66,307. This is due to a rapid growth in international enrollment. No questions or comments from the committee.
10:21 am – The Salary Administration Grid is being review. Sen. Teague is asking question about the grid, he wonders if it allows agencies to circumvent the career service pay plan. The response was that it still stays within the law, but allows some flexability. Sen. Faris clarified that the committee’s approval is required. I get the feeling that neither Sen. Teague or I have a complete understanding what is going on with the grid. This will be something to follow up upon.
10:28 am – The stack of paper that we are presented with AT the committee meetings are often the size of a large book. We are expected review the material, having never seen it before, in a period of minutes. It would be a good transparency initiative to require this information to be made availiable a predetermined time before the committee meeting. Even better would be to put the information on the web so that constituents could see it also.
10:35 am – Reviewed Compensation Differentials for AR Dept. of Agriculture, Livestock and Poultry Commission On-call Compensation, the AR Dept of Correction Education Compensation, AR Dept of Community Correction Certification Compensation, and Dept of Workforce Education – AR Rehabilitation Services Foreign Language Compensation without question or comment.
10:39 am – The atmosphere in the room is very mellow today. Legislators are tired. Meetings have been at various points around the state lately meaning a lot of travel and constituents have rightfully been demanding more from their legislators.
10:45 am – Rep. Lea, Rep. King, and myself asked additional questions about getting agenda attachments in advance.
10:48 am – Currently reviewing Special Language Provisions. Rep. Green is asking what happens to the employees when the grant approved in the special language runs out. Apparently the employees are aware that it is temporary, and if they are retained on a full time basis their position will appear in the next budget as new positions. There is some tricksy stuff that goes on in “Special Language”, legislators are always especially suspicious of the activities funded that way.
10:53 am – We are currently reviewing the Miscellaneous Federal Grant Program Appropriation for Disabilitiy Determination for Social Security Administration. Federal funds always come with strings attached, Sen Faris has called an expert to explain this program. Apparently Arkansas is one of 5 states chosen to be “super administrators” due to superior past performance. Arkansas is the only state that put pre-conditions on the federal government and was given a great opportunity as long as it does not mess up the agency’s ability to serve Arkansas. Senator Faris is praising the job Mr. Boutiette is doing. (Yes, I had to ask how his name was spelled.)
11:03 am – Sen. Luker is making the point that this might be a good opportunity for the state. It seems that the praise for Mr. Boutiette is well deserved. Mr. Boutiette currently answering very detailed questions from the committee in a very open and knowledgable manner. Usually directors have to get employees to answer these type of questions.
11:12 am – Salary Adustments of Circuit Court Staff and Special Entry Rate Report reviewed without question or comment.
11:13 am – Committee adjourned.
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