At their last meeting, the Charles County Board of Commissioners considered and ultimately adopted a proposal listed on the agenda as “minor interim organizational changes”. These proposals result from the Interim County Administrator Roy Hancock’s study of each county department with the goal to bring county operations within the commissioners’ idea of efficient service.
The largest of the proposed changes seems neither minor nor temporary. Hancock proposed the consolidations of both the Information Technology (IT) departments and the training programs across several major county government organizations. Wednesday’s vote only authorized the formation of feasibility studies to determine how a consolidation might effectively occur. However, if it can be done, the separate training programs at the County and the Board of Education (BOE) well merge; as will the IT departments at the County, the BOE and the Sheriff’s Office.
It’s easy to see that such changes may indeed save money and increase efficiency. Consolidation offers the potential for improved services and innovative projects. Planning for and merging technology services are usually the least difficult changes to affect. Personnel and process changes on this scale, however, have a tendency to blow up in the faces of the initiators. Members of affected departments tend to feel their jobs are being threatened rather than look at the potential for them to work on new projects. It’s the human aspect of the equation which will require special care.
Commissioner Patterson questioned the need to spend money on a consultant to oversee the feasibility studies in preparation for the mergers, preferring to use work groups comprised of senior members of each affected department. County Attorney Fink reminded the Board that workgroups formed several years ago to smooth the way for consolidation. With no outside influence to moderate, the different organizations couldn’t reach an accord and the project was abandoned. Fink and Hancock see the cost effectiveness of using consultants in the process this time around. The Bay Net did try to reach representatives from the IT Departments at the BOE and the County for comments. Katie O’Malley-Simpson (media relations) spoke for the BOE and told The Bay Net that the BOE Technology Department has always willingly partnered with other organizations to share developments. However, the BOE couldn’t comment on the consolidation because the board hasn’t yet discussed the matter. It’s on the agenda for Monday’s BOE meeting at North Point High School, 7 p.m.
Initial discussion of the organizational changes was delayed when Commissioner Gary Hodge voiced concern at the lack of time allowed for board members to study the proposal before voting on it. Although board members receive information packets containing action items a week in advance of each meeting, this list of changes was not included. Instead, it was issued to the commissioners during their lunch hour before Wednesday’s meeting. Hodge wanted to know the reason for the short notice. An answer wasn’t forthcoming, however, because the board retired to Attorney Fink’s conference room for further discussion in a closed legal session. Upon return the Commissioners approved a motion to require that all proposals of this nature be made available for scrutiny at least a week before appearing as an agenda item during a board meeting.
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