Following up on last year’s study of the Wake Forest Police Department, the town this year authorized a study of the second-largest department, Public Works, and during Tuesday night’s board work session Deputy Manager Roe O’Donnell presented a PowerPoint overview of the study.
The commissioners had been provided an email copy of the report by Robert W. Morgan in advance though Commissioner Greg Harrington said he did not receive his. Copies of the report were only made available to the press after the meeting on request.
O’Donnell began by saying the department is “pretty well run” and “We believe we are doing a pretty good job. Enhancements can be made to the working environment and communications.”
Later Town Manager Mark Williams said he was surprised by the level of lack of communication in the department.
But commissioners were blunt. Commissioner Jim Thompson said there were “major personnel problems” at Public Works and next to him Commissioner Margaret Stinnett seemed to be saying to Williams “you have not done a very good job. They need support from you.” “There are some major glaring issues,” Thompson said.
Commissioner Zachary Donahue pointed out that Morgan detailed 27 steps Public Works Director Mike Barton or other town officials should take in less than six months, 48 total recommendations that should be implemented in 18 months.
“Our departments work very well. All organizations have issues,” Williams said. “I don’t think morale is that bad. I take issue with the comments made here.”
“This report is saying that there is a growing morale problem,” Donahue said.
“I don’t know an organization that doesn’t have a morale problem,” O’Donnell said. “The issues you’re seeing here are very typical for an organization of this size.” Residents say this is the best town they have ever lived in for customer service. “There’s issues in every single public works department.”
“The employees liked the people they worked with,” Mayor Vivian Jones said. “The fact that management decided to do this study is a very positive step. I don’t think it was a glaring report.”
In his report, Morgan wrote that it was “very interesting and enjoyable to interview all the employees” and that they “expressed a great deal of pride in their work and have a real focus on providing quality services to the citizens. In general they are very satisfied in working for the Town and appreciate their jobs, benefits and compensation.”
However, later Morgan wrote that “there is an underlying desire to see a work environment that is more supportive, appreciative and trusting. Many of the employee concerns are not uncommon to similar organizations but at the same time there are specific behaviors displayed in Public Works that are causing these concerns to be raised. These concerns have been heightened recently by how cameras and GPS systems have been used.”
There may also have been some concern about the resignation in October of John Thrift, who at that time was the assistant director at Public Works. He left to become a fulltime minister.
O’Donnell said he, Williams, Barton and Human Resources Director Virginia Jones will take steps to implement many but not all of the recommendations Morgan outlined. Two that will not be implemented will be filling the position of assistant director and splitting the department into two with Wake Forest Power becoming a separate department.
The commissioners also informally agreed to go forward with three separate bond referendums, one each for streets and sidewalks, greenways, and parks and recreation facilities. They will also seek the full $25 million in bond fund authorization from voters in November which, if all the grants the town is seeking are approved, will mean $56 million in work done.
“I think we ought to go with the $25 million,” Jones said. “It’s a good time to do it. Interest rates are low. We have a lot of projects. If the citizens don’t want to do it, then they can vote against it. We don’t have to sell some bonds. We don’t have to incur this debt if the economy tanks. I think we need to decide now so we can go forward with the plan.”
At the close of the meeting, Jones asked the commissioners if they wanted to consider a tethering ordinance. When no one did, they agreed that they would continue to have all animal control issues be under the control of the Wake County ordinances.
They agreed to meet for a work session about the proposed Capital Improvement Plan Wednesday, March 12, at 7 p.m.
One Response
From what I see at the Public Works Department is an overall job well done. My only complaint is that after the last snow storm our street did not get plowed when the cross street did. In the past either the whole subdivision got plowed or did not. The public works employees in general seem to interact well with the public and do take pride in their work. Certainly if I had a concern the Public Works department handled the matter in the most professional and efficient way. The cemetery is maintained as is all projects under the purview of the DPW. I would venture to say that Mike Barton is the best Department Head in the town as he realizes that the taxpayers are the ultimate bosses in town. I would also venture to say that the best employees of the town are in the DPW.
I seem to remember that the police study was done without Commissioner approval, I am not clear if this one was done with Commissioner Approval. There also seemed to be less of a fuss by the Commissioners about the Police Department. As a citizen of Wake Forest, I know that if there is a dead animal on the street, or if rubbish needs to be picked up, street light out or the street taken care of 99% of the time I do not really need to worry about it. I am more concerned when I go to work at 4:00 am in the morning or come home at 2:00 pm I am driving past a local c store/gas station there are a minimum of 2 police cars and officers hanging out there. I am more concerned about citizens being arrested without being read their miranda rights, or being threatened with arrest over non vital issues. I am concerned when someone is in a non injury related car accident within a block of the police station that it takes 45 minutes for an officer to respond to the scene.