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| 1/28/2010 9:19:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | School, gas records are parts of plan
City Parks, Recreation and Cemeteries Department director Ronn Kopp will have to attend several WITC classes and conform to a detailed list of do's and don'ts under a Performance Improvement Plan approved earlier by the City Council.
Under the plan, Kopp's performance will be reviewed quarterly by city administrator Curt Snyder.
In a related matter, Kopp was granted a cost-of-living raise by the City Council on Tuesday, Jan. 27. That raise is 1.5% in January, and an additional 1.5% in July. It is the same raise given to other non-union city workers in 2010. The employment agreement was approved by the council without discussion.
The PIP was approved by the City Council on Dec. 22. Because of public records laws pertaining to personnel files, it did not become available to The Chronotype until Monday, Jan. 26. The plan was also approved by the Parks Board and the Personnel and Negotiating Committee.
Under the plan, Kopp is required to be involved in a conflict resolution program under the city's employee assistance program, conform to a productivity plan, and have approval of all his personnel management decisions.
The city issued a news release last month stating that it expected the plan to cost the city about $10,000. Legal and investigatory fees in the matter are now estimated at about $70,000, said Snyder.
Kopp had no comment on the plan.
Kopp, who has been the parks director since 1976, was placed on paid administrative leave Aug. 3 while his department was being investigated following a report of city-owned gasoline being stolen from a pump at Nora Cemetery. Following a closed-session hearing by the City Council on Nov. 2, Kopp was placed on 2 months unpaid leave.
Under the PIP, Kopp was directed to meet with a WITC employee on Jan. 13 for orientation there. Kopp is to take classes in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, supervisory management and accounting.
In the PIP, Snyder wrote that Kopp's work performance can't be "taken for granted" as complying with city policies. Because of that, he issued a series of directives.
The directives include that Kopp must:
• Prepare a department reorganization plan.
• Update the city's outdoor recreation plan.
• Modernize the department's communication system.
• Apply for grants for recreation trail extensions.
• Create a policy regarding support to various sports organizations.
The plan also includes a "reorientation checklist" for Kopp's return to work. That includes:
• Having a written policy for gym supervisors.
• Having no employment of relatives of employees.
• Having no stand-ins for gym supervisors.
• Having no gym supervisors who work for sports groups.
• Reimbursing mileage through the city mileage policy.
• Reporting all time worked to City Hall.
• Requiring Kopp to punch in and out for all hours worked.
• Banning Parks and Recreation department workers from wearing shorts or clothes with advertising.
• Clearing all hiring or hiring recommendations with the city administrator.
• Concessions are to no longer be operated by the warming house attendant. Kopp must continue maintenance of the concession inventory and generate a cash report.
• Having Parks and Recreation Department mail sent to City Hall. Outgoing mail must also be brought to City Hall.
• Displaying only appropriate city office related material on walls, desks or counters. Celebrity photos, cartoons or newspaper clippings are not allowed.
• Kopp may not use city work time, computers, copiers or paper to perform tasks for private associations.
• Kopp must "actively engage in all meetings by making genuine attempts to participate in discussions, ask questions, make announcements and offer opinions."
• As a general rule, Kopp may not assign employees the task of returning calls from the public on his behalf.
• Details of discussions occurring during department head meetings are not to be conveyed to members of the public, elected officials and/or committee members.
• Converting cemetery records to electronic records.
• Converting weed complaint records to electronic.
• Recording fuel purchases on an Excel worksheet that includes the date, vehicle, gallons and mileage.
• Kopp may not lobby individual board or council members, except the mayor or the council chair. He may not organize the public to lobby or campaign for or against an issue.
In a another related matter, there has been no recent activity regarding a complaint to U.S. Postal Service authorities that city workers attempted to misdirect mail from Kopp's personal mailbox.
"It was turned over to the inspection service, and that's the last I heard of it," said Rice Lake postmaster Randy Waterhouse.
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