January 2016 Staff Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes

Kashmere/Lakewood NL Grouping

January 04, 2016

In attendance:

Melissa Ryans (Manager)

Jose Santoyo (Assistant Manager)

Juan Lopez (Senior Customer Service Clerk)

Twanna Wade (Senior Customer Service Clerk)

Linda Adams (Customer Service Clerk)

Ann Perry (Customer Service Clerk)

Karl Beck (Library Assistant)

Dee Hunter (Library Assistant)

Joseph Asberry (Customer Service Clerk, Part-time)

Ana Santana (Customer Service Clerk, Part-time)

Not in attendance:

Dionne McLaughlin (Senior Library Service Specialist)

Topics of Interest:

• Icebreaker
• Managers Meeting Notes
• Staff Discussion
• Open Discussion

First Topic: Icebreaker

• J. Santoyo hosted the icebreaker "Two Truths and a Lie." Staff seemed to enjoy it, and most of the staff easily guessed which of the statements was a lie. J. Santoyo told staff that the icebreakers would be a part of all staff meetings going forward.

Second Topic: Managers Meetings Notes

• Link to December 2015 Manager Meeting Notes
• Staff Updates
• System-wide:
• Melinda Campbell is the new Assistant Manager at Collier.
• Julia Bradley is the new Manager at Collier.
• Marcia Cameron-Denton is the new Manager at Alief.
• In-house:
• Alena Lee was hired as the new part-time CSC for our grouping. Her start date is January 19th. She will be housed primarily at Kashmere NL.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• EAP is here as a resource to aid employees who are having personal and/or professional issues. Professional issues can include issues such as harassment, bullying, adjusting to a new position, etc. Personal issues include depression, anxiety, stress, etc.
• EAP provides both short-term counseling and long-term counseling.
• Supervisors can (and are encouraged) to recommend EAP as a resource to employees, especially if personal issues are having an impact on job performance (e.g., punctuality). Remember that this is not a judgment but a recommendation in order to assist you in getting whatever help you need to be successful both professionally and personally.
• First session is often on COH time. The rest will have to be scheduled using your off time or accrual hours.
• Employee is not required to go to EAP.
• EAP representative can be deployed to the location if needed (e.g., death on the job, traumatic event, etc.)
• For more information, please review the resources below:
• COH EAP Page: http://houstontx.gov/hr/eap/
• Guidance Resources (Part of EAP): www.guidanceresources.com
• Handouts distributed at staff meeting
• HOPE Raises
• Starting this year, staff should see up to a $0.50 an hour raise on their checks. It should appear on the January 22nd check. The raise is dependent upon 1) if you are below, at, or above the midpoint for your paygrade and 2) how close you are to that number. (The closer you are, the less the raise). 
• Here is a link to the blog post discussing this more in-depth. 
• Mileage Reiumbursement
• Checks will not issued for amounts under $100. 
• Staff must now submit a petty cash form and pick up the amount from Financial Services at Central.
• Staff can authorize a supervisor to get the money, but they must notify Financial Services in advance that you are authorizing someone else to pick up your monies.
• If you do get a check from Financial Services for anything, please cash it immediately.

Third Topic: Staff Discussion

• Desk Guidelines: Just a reminder to 1) not have your cell phones out at the desk and 2) do not browse the Internet while at the CSD. You may continue to utilize HPL and COH websites/blogs for special projects happening at the branch (e.g., skills tests).
• Keep eyes open to keep circumstances under control.
• Be mindful of the CSD when assisting customers on the floor and don't leave coworkers alone without telling them.
• Telecheck Machines and PIN Pads:
• Please start using the PIN pads to process all credit card transactions. Instructions will appear on the FD200 (the original Telecheck machine).
• Checks are still processed through the old Telecheck machine.
• Watch the screen closely and follow the instructions, as due to some software updates the sequence of instructions might have changed.
• Kashmere NL has received a new Telecheck machine, so be sure to start copying the close out receipts. Place copy in the SMM binder and place original in deposit bag.
• The old Telecheck machine has been sent back to Dimitri Revada in Financial Services.
• WPRs and Skills Tests: This month, all staff will receive another WPR to update them on their progress in regards to their professional development and HEAR. Everyone with a skills test should have also received an email regarding the questions that will be covered when supervisors meet with staff to conduct the skills test. While you will be scheduled time off desk to go over your questions, you are also encouraged to use downtime to review the questions. As always, you are also encouraged to use your supervisors and teammates as resources.
• Technology Training for Staff: J. Lopez and T. Wade have offered to host in-house technology training for staff.
• Will start late-January/early-February and will be held on alternating Fridays so that everyone has a chance to attend a session.
• Schedule Changes: J. Santoyo announced a change to the schedule. Moving forward, staff will be assigned 1) a two-hour block time on the desk/floor and 2) an hour wherein they were allowed to prioritize tasks to get things done. Duties would not be assigned for this hour. Rather, the onus would be on staff to look around and see what needs to be done and do it. This can include catching up on shelf reading, completing a skills test, shelving, etc.
• Format of schedule change will be changing to give more autonomy to staff as to what duties they need to accomplish.
• Staff will see PIE on the schedule, which stands for Prioritize, Initiate, Execute.
• M. Ryans stressed to staff that they would be held accountable for using the time for work-related tasks. 
• This new change will be continuously assessed throughout the year in order to gauge the impact (positive or negative) on staff and workflow at the branches.
• Monies for Staff: We have a total of about $200 to spend on staff ($25 for placing in the Holiday Mask competition and $180 from NL Administration). This cannot be spent on gifts or gift cards, so we should focus on spending it on staff events such as holiday parties, staff appreciation events, teambuilding events, etc. Staff should think about this. We will revisit in next month's meeting.
• Suggestion: Going out to eat as a group.

Fourth Topic: Open Discussion

• Open Carry:
• Reminder: COH employees cannot carry weapons while on duty or on city premises. They can, however, transport or store a firearm in a locked, privately-owned motor vehicle in the parking lot.
• All guns must be concealed or holstered (if displayed openly).
• Gun can be a handgun or long handgun.
• Customers cannot bring in a handgun during school-sponsored events. (HPL will update us on this. Details will follow.)
• Can ask customer to remove weapon and lock in vehicle if they are present when a school-sponsored activity starts.
• Visits to the library by classes from nearby schools would count as a school-sponsored visit.
• Daycare visits are not exempt (if this changes, will update staff accordingly.)
• Reminder: Staff do not have the authority to ask a customer if they have a CHL or to present their license. Only LEOs can do this, so please do not ask this of any customer openly carrying.
• If you are concerned about someone openly carrying (e.g., they are acting suspiciously and/or aggressively, threatened you or another customer, etc.), let a supervisor know or call HPD.
• Reminder: Do not get into discussions with customers about open carry laws. HPL has provided a statement you can give to the customer (don't have to memorize, but this was posted on the blog here). Also, do not provide the media with any comment other than the one HPL provided (that can also be found on the blog here).
• Reminder: Use your judgment if you encounter someone openly carrying. If they are merely using library services, then they are acting within the law. HPD will investigate persons calling 911 to falsely report those persons lawfully carrying. As always, if you do have any concerns, contact a supervisor.
• Links to various resources:
• Blog post on Open Carry (email from Dr. Lawson)
• HPD COH Open Carry page
• Open Carry posting on Intranet 
• Firearms Legislation Overview (COH)
• Branch Issues:
• Discussed suspension of customer KM. 
• Staff have started scanning items on the shelves at Lakewood NL.
• Kashmere NL has been selected as a notary site.