How many people are needed to replace our former assistant manager? UPDATED 2X

The answer is THREE. Welcome our new assistant manager, Ian McMeans*. He is featured in the latest issue of mtl Magazine, new assistant manager. Ian McMeans accepted a salary of $80,000. I'm sure if one questions this new hire, our manager will be quick to say that McMeans is also the municipal planner, the position Keith McGill held before being promoted to municipal manager.

When Marcia Taylor retired as assistant manager in July 2013 after 34 years with Mt. Lebanon, the decision was made to split her job into two positions; a finance director and an HR director. Andrew McCreery and Bonnie Cross were hired as full time employees earning close to $102,000 and more than $85,000 respectively. See 1st quarter earnings in 2016.  Marcia Taylor earned $118,000 in 2012.

How is this permitted? We've gone from paying full benefits for one position to full benefits for THREE individuals.

What IS an assistant to the manager? The job description for this position is here. In addition to these duties, Bonnie Cross is the Open Records Officer (ORO). The ORO grants or denies all RTKs. Steve Feller served as ORO, in addition to being municipal manager.

I questioned our commissioners, manager, and solicitor in January about the newly created position known as "assistant to the manager." Of course, the commissioners ignored me, but I did get a response from municipal manager Keith McGill. See the newly released archived post from January -   Another example of our rogue commisssion

So we've gone from a municipal manager, assistant manager, and municipal planner to:

• municipal manager
• assistant manager/municipal planner
• finance director
• HR director/assistant to the manager

along with full and part time assistant directors, as well as full and part time administrative support.

For that, we are now getting late RTKs, incomplete statements of financial interests, a lot of poor customer service, bad attitudes, less transparency, and being ignored by staff and/or commissioners while payroll costs increase.

*Our new assistant manager did not submit a statement of financial interests.

Update June 2, 2016 11:48 PM This comment was sent to me privately.

In reading your blog post from January 19th from Mr. McGill, he wrote:

Section 124 Administrative Offices gives the Manager the authority to create such administrative staff offices as may be required to administer the operations and affairs of the municipality.

The actual wording is as follows:

§124 Administrative Offices. The Manager may, within budget appropriations approved by the Commission, create such administrative staff offices as may be required to administer the operations and affairs of the Municipality. 

Do we know if McGill created the positions legally?

Update June 3, 2016 11:13 AM I forgot about this blog posting. Introducing Andrew McCreery and Bonnie Cross 

Also, did you know that the commission had passed a bill, Bill # 16-15 on November 23, 2015 (the day before the Office of Open Records ruled in my favor), where there are minimum and maximum bi-weekly wage ranges for specific employees?

Another example of our rogue commission UPDATED

Dear Commissioners, Manager and Solicitor,

I have been noticing a new title in our local government, "Assistant to the Manager." Where did that come from? I do not see it mentioned in the Administrative Code. http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/3862

§120 Manager The Manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the Municipality. He shall be subject to appointment and removal by the Commission. During the tenure of his appointment he shall possess and exercise the powers and duties as prescribed by the Charter. The Manager’s compensation shall be as determined by the Commission in the annual salary ordinance. During the disability or temporary absence of the Manager, the Assistant Manager shall exercise the duties and have the authority of the Manager subject to §504 of the Charter

I see Assistant Manager, but not Assistant to the Manager.

§121 Administrative Staff. The Manager, Assistant Manager, Directors and Chiefs of departments, and designated employees in charge of staff functions under the Manager, shall comprise the administrative staff of the Municipality.

I see Assistant Manager, but not Assistant to the Manager.

Why does this remind me of several episodes of The Office? Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute went round and round over that.

Who is our Assistant Manager? Who exercises the duties and have the authority of the Manager should there be a temporary absence of the Manager? Where are the duties listed for Assistant to the Manager?

Is this another example of our rogue commission?


Elaine Gillen

Update January 19, 2016 2:02 PM So our manager can appoint his temporary replacement. That sounds like a good idea.

From: Keith Mcgill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>; Philip Weis <philip.weis@bipc.com>
Sent: Tue, Jan 19, 2016 11:07 am
Subject: Re: Administrative Code

Good morning Ms. Gillen,

Following the retirement of Ms. Taylor as Assistant Manager/Finance Director in 2013 the decision was made by the Manager, with the input and consent of the Commission, to hire a Finance Director to perform finance functions and an Assistant to the Manager to principally perform personnel/human resource functions for the municipality.

The municipality does not currently have anyone serving in the position of Assistant Manager. Section 124 Administrative Offices gives the Manager the authority to create such administrative staff offices as may be required to administer the operations and affairs of the municipality.

Keith

Introducing Andrew McCreery and Bonnie Cross

To: All Employees 

 I am very pleased to announce two key additions to the management team of the municipality. Both a new Director of Finance and a new Assistant to the Manager for Human Resources will begin work on Monday, September 9th. 

 Andrew McCreery will be the new Director of Finance. Andrew is a Mt. Lebanon resident. He is a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently working as the Finance Officer and Acting Borough Manager for the Borough of Jefferson Hills. He previously worked for six years as Accounting Manager for the Township of Upper St. Clair. Andrew brings a great public accounting background to the position. As Chief Financial Officer, Andrew will be responsible for all fiscal activities including accounting, budgeting, cash management, expenditure control, and financial administration and analysis. 

 Bonnie Cross will become the new Assistant to the Manager and personnel officer. For the past ten years, Bonnie was a Benefit Manager for the State of Ohio, responsible for overseeing the State’s workers compensation and flexible spending programs. Prior to her State job, Bonnie worked for the City of Upper Arlington Ohio, a first ring suburb of Columbus, where she served as Assistant City Manager. In that capacity she participated in the collective bargaining process and administered the human resources function for the organization. Bonnie received a Masters of Public Administration from Kent State University and a B.A. from Seton Hill College. She holds a SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) designation. In Mt. Lebanon, she will be responsible for all human resources programs and activities. 

 Please join me in welcoming both Andrew and Bonnie to our organization. 

 Steve Feller