Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 26, 1994                   TAG: 9410290020
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY  
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI                                  LENGTH: Medium

PULASKI COUNCIL TO LOOK AT NEW NEPOTISM RULES

Council's Personnel Committee agreed at a meeting Tuesday morning to present the proposed new policy at the governing body's next session.

Like the town's existing policy, this one bans employment of relatives where one is in a position to supervise, appoint, remove, discipline, evaluate or audit the work of another.

The new policy would place similar limits on people who share housing, whether it is a couple living together or simply roommates sharing expenses. Town Attorney Frank Terwilliger said there could be a perception of favoritism even where no romantic relationship is involved.

Mayor Andy Graham had some misgivings about that. ``Once they leave the premises, they're on their own,'' he said.

``It's a delicate matter, because there is a right of privacy for employees,'' Terwilliger said. Still, he added, ``it is a legitimate area to address.''

The committee also will recommend adding members of Town Council and other town officials to the policy.

Another proposed change would be to have the nepotism policy no longer apply to people hired for short-term jobs or to unpaid volunteers. It would not apply to temporary workers whose employment is less than six months.

If employees became in violation of the policy after being hired, the town would be able to require one of the two to quit within 60 days if some mutually-agreeable solution could not be reached.

The involved employees would be asked, in that case, to decide which of the two would keep the job.

The committee considered including a provision governing supervisors dating subordinates. ``The town has had some problems in the past from such a scenario, so you may wish to address the problem by either modifying this policy or creating a separate policy statement for supervisors, which would spell out some of the higher standards expected of a supervisor,'' Terwilliger said.

But the group decided that should go instead in a sexual harassment policy which Terwilliger and Town Manager Tom Combiths are working on.

``That's where you see the impact legally for the most part,'' Terwilliger said. ``Dating among co-workers is very common, and is not necessarily bad, either.''

People tend to date those they see frequently, and often people see each other most frequently at work, he said. That sometimes leads to trouble when it involves a supervisor and subordinate, he said, where the relationship seems consensual but the subordinate sometimes says later that it was not entirely that way.

The committee also will recommend that council approve a list of standing assignments for its committees, and adopt a safety policy approved by the committee.