By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
A key question arose for commissioners and staff at the July 10 meeting of the Waterford Sanitary District.
Not only did a key issue arise that day about who should have a key to open and close district facilities, but the decibel level also rose on multiple occasions during discussion of the key issue.
For the past month, Commissioner Ricky McNeiley had been overseeing the key access issue, as locks were recently changed in an effort to enhance security and limit the people who can freely access the facility at any given time.
But at the July 10 meeting, WSD Administrator Debbie Nelson had a complaint about McNeiley’s key distribution plan.
Nelson said a part-time WSD office employee, who did not have a key to the main building, reported to work July 5, but was unable to gain access to the WSD office to perform her duties.
Nelson explained that July 5 was a day when most of the full-time staff was off because of the holiday weekend.
Nelson successfully requested that the locked-out employee receive compensation for July 5, and also be given a key to the building so further incidents do not occur.
As Nelson stated her case, McNeiley attempted to circle the discussion back to the Commission, since it was a formal meeting of the elected body.
“We follow Robert’s Rules of Order in this meeting,” McNeiley said as Nelson continued to speak. “This meeting is out of order.”
McNeiley said he did not believe the part-time worker was entitled to either a key or compensation for July 5 because Nelson could have loaned her key to the employee.
But McNeiley’s Board colleagues – WSD Chairman Dan Dickinson and Commissioner Jeff Santaga – held a different perspective.
“I’m of the opinion she was here, ready to work,” Dickinson said. “She ought to be paid.”
As a remedy, Dickinson said he would help develop a key access agreement that assigns a specific number to each key issued to an employee. The recipient will need to sign an agreement, pledging not to share the key with anyone else.
In response to McNeiley’s view, Dickinson said, “Rick, I totally understand where you’re coming from. This is just a matter of logistics.”
“Apparently you don’t,” McNeiley countered, casting a dissenting vote against the development of a key access agreement, as well as against giving the part-time employee compensation for July 5, or a key.
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