La Plata council delays adoption of revised employee handbook over 'low-intensity' civility language

The La Plata Town Council declined to adopt a revised employee handbook at the second reading on May 26, 2026, after several members objected to language they called subjective and potentially intimidating for staff.

The council attempted a motion to adopt Ordinance 26-11, which would have amended personnel rules on civility, gift acceptance, workplace communication, vacation accrual and heat‑related illness prevention, but the motion failed for lack of a second. Council members asked staff to redraft specific passages and bring the ordinance back for reconsideration.

Why it matters: Council members said parts of the proposed civility policy—particularly lines describing “low-intensity behavior” with examples such as “eye rolling”—were too vague to be enforceable and risked chilling routine workplace interactions. Several members also asked staff to remove or substantially trim a section on employee communications with Town Council while retaining a brief requirement that employees use supervisory channels.

Town Manager Chuck Stevens, presenting the proposal, said parts of the handbook are time-sensitive because state rules require written heat‑illness procedures. He told the council the currently adopted employee handbook (adopted earlier in February) remains in force until a replacement is adopted. "The currently adopted employee handbook will remain in effect," Stevens said, noting staff would return with revisions. Stevens also said the low‑intensity language had been recommended by the town's insurer/risk managers; "that came from [the insurer]," he said when asked about examples like eye rolling.

Councilman Matt Guttenberg (Council) said he was concerned about specificity and potential consequences for employees: "My preference is to put that on the elected Members Rule of Procedure... I just found the Council communication piece of it to be too restrictive," he said. Multiple council members agreed that lines roughly identified in the packet (described in the meeting as lines 89–127) should be made more objective.

What comes next: Council directed staff to revise the civility language to be less subjective and to trim the council-communication language to a brief statement that employees should use supervisory channels. Stevens said staff would present a revised draft for a first reading on June 9, 2026, and, if scheduled, a second reading on June 23 to align with the town's July 1 budget timeline and state requirements.

Reporting note: The council did not record a roll-call vote on this item; the motion failed for lack of a second. The article uses direct quotes and attributions only to speakers appearing in the meeting record.