Pembroke Park commissioners ask attorney to draft ordinance clarifying HR and IT reporting

Commissioners at the Town of Pembroke Park workshop on Jan. 7 directed the town attorney to prepare an ordinance to clarify the reporting lines for positions hired by the commission, with a focus on human resources and information technology.

Commissioner Mohammed introduced the item, saying the commission has long lacked clarity about which positions it directly appoints and supervises and that the town’s code and recent charter changes contain inconsistent language. The town attorney reviewed prior meetings and a May 2024 charter amendment and concluded that the intent at the time suggested IT should remain under the commission’s purview but that HR’s status was not addressed. The attorney recommended drafting an ordinance or housekeeping code change to eliminate or clarify the unused “administrative services director” language and memorialize how these positions should report.

Several commissioners said they favored an ordinance to resolve operational confusion quickly; one commissioner suggested pursuing a charter amendment instead to make the change permanent and avoid future ambiguity. The town attorney said staff could draft language that allows the commission to create additional director positions without being hamstrung by the charter but could also package a charter question if the commission preferred that route for voter approval.

Commissioner comments ranged from advocating that HR be effectively independent to guard personnel investigations from political influence, to caution about unintended limits on the commission’s ability to create new positions. Commissioners asked staff to draft an ordinance for first reading next week if feasible, or in February if more time was needed.

The commission did not take a final vote on policy at the workshop; it directed staff to prepare draft ordinance language and return to the commission for first reading.