PARIS – A consultant who has been helping the Oxford County commissioners revise a personnel policy manual said Wednesday some of the material could be reviewed in public.
Since at least October, the commissioners have discussed possible changes to the manual behind closed doors in executive session. Chairman Steve Merrill has said the discussions have covered pay scale issues and employee compensation.
On Tuesday, he said the meetings have been held behind closed doors because the commissioners are “charged with protecting our people.”
Annalee Rosenblatt, an attorney who is contracted to assist the county with labor negotiations and personnel matters, said Wednesday that the manual covers more than pay rates.
“There definitely are policies that don’t need to be discussed in executive session,” she said. Everything, including policies on complaint procedures, sexual harassment and keeping a drug-free workplace, are being reviewed.
“It does involve some potential compensation and benefit changes for some employees,” Rosenblatt noted.
According to the Maine Freedom of Access law, “An executive session may be held only if public discussion could be reasonably expected to cause damage to the reputation or the individual’s right to privacy would be violated.” Employee compensation or duties are among items allowed for private board discussion under such circumstances, the law states.
One reason commissioners may be reluctant to discuss things in open session is disagreement between department heads over some portions of the manual, Rosenblatt said. For example, “There’s big disagreements in the county about how people should be keeping their time.”
She and county Administrative Assistant Carole Mahoney have discussed whether department heads should be asked to present their issues before the commissioners.
The last executive session that commissioners held to discuss the policy manual was Feb. 15.
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