West Deptford School Board Deadlocks on Payroll Position

After a tie vote in committee over considering a move back to a full-time payroll and benefits administrator, the took the split over one full-timer or two part-timers to the entire board during public session Monday night.

Then they deadlocked again.

The 4-4 vote–board member Peter Guzzetti was absent due to a business trip–means the board will have to wait two weeks until the next meeting to solve the issue, which business administrator William Thompson is pressing because of problems with getting the work done under the current, 25-hour-per-week part-time position.

The discussion partially came up because Theresa Bond, who currently runs payroll on a part-time basis, announced her resignation effective at the end of the month. More than that, though, district business administrator William Thompson said it's simply a matter of fixing a system that isn't working right now.

“We've had the opportunity a couple times here to fix it, and it hasn't worked,” he said. “All I'm trying to do is get it back to where it was when it did work.”

Through the course of the debate, which lasted longer than some entire school board meetings, board members argued the merits of a two-person team versus a lone full-timer.

The district had employed a full-time payroll administrator prior to the middle of 2010, when the budget crisis forced the board to cut it completely; when an , the position was , but Thompson said the workload's been beyond what can get done in those hours.

With only a marginal difference in costs–about a $400 swing–board Vice President James Mehaffey said it comes down to what arrangement would be most beneficial.

“What it came down to is, can the work be done by two people, or one full-time person?” he said.

The full-time position would be a 40-hour job, while the two part-timers could be anywhere up to 29.5 hours per week each.

“You're basically getting 19 more hours for the same price,” board member Don Hicks pointed out, and added that the lack of sick and vacation time could be even more of a benefit. “You actually have more hours on-site.”

Board member Lisa Eckley summed up the argument for a lone full-time employee, saying that the overlap and division of responsibilities would be less than ideal.

“That's not a very efficient use of time,” Eckley said.

And Mehaffey, even while arguing for two part-timers, pointed out the possibility that a part-time worker would either constantly seek a full-time job, or use a part-time job as a training ground in order to get a full-time job.

“That's a big fear for us in the department,” Thompson said.

Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman pointed out there's also the cost of outfitting a second part-timer with a computer and all the other necessities, though that's just a one-time cost.

Kitchenman recommended they go with a single full-time employee.

While the board ended up tied, President Christopher Strano said they'll work in committee to figure out the best option and most likely make a final decision in two weeks.

“It's more of a preference than anything,” Strano said. “There's a lot of alternatives to explore.”