Staunton council adopts updated personnel policies and amends council procedures

Staunton City Council on Feb. 27 approved updates to the personnel policy manual and adopted amendments to council procedural memoranda and a related city code section, actions staff said will modernize employee policies and council administration.

John Denn, the citys chief human resources officer, presented the updated personnel policy manual and said the document reflects work over the last three years. "This evening, we are recommending that city council adopt those provisions to the personnel policy manual," Denn said. The council approved the manual on a unanimous roll call.

Procedural changes: City attorney John Blair summarized proposed amendments to procedural memorandum language and to Staunton City Code section 2.10.105. Revisions include: (1) changing the practice so the full council appoints liaisons to boards and commissions rather than the nominations committee; (2) updating the remote-participation policy to conform to state law provisions allowing remote participation for caretakers of individuals with disabilities (and counting such remote participants toward quorum as required by state law); and (3) establishing a process for individuals who wish to receive recognitions in council chambers to have the request polled to the full council before being placed on the agenda. Blair also proposed that the code change remove a requirement that new councils approve procedures at their organizational meeting; instead, the code would require an annual review of policies and procedures to avoid forcing newly seated members to vote on rules at their first meeting.

Why this matters: Denn and Blair said the personnel manual updates and the procedural clarifications will improve clarity for staff and elected officials, reflect state law changes and make the councils administrative practices more predictable. Denn said staff will create communications for employees to ensure the changes are understood and implemented.

Votes at a glance: Council approved the personnel manual revisions (motion by Vice Mayor Arrowood, unanimous roll call) and separately approved amendments to the procedural memoranda and the City Code change (motions and roll calls recorded; both carried unanimously).

Ending: Staff thanked the council and said they will coordinate communication to employees and schedule the annual procedural review called for in the ordinance amendment.