Poker Tells

"Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker."
- Mike McDermott, "Rounders"

So...what's on the Human Resources agenda this week? Hmmm.
Seems innocent enough...Energy Educator/Manager Job Description revision.

Pure as the driven snow...until you recall a few recent events and think a few minutes.
So they want to CHANGE...check that...REVISE and UPDATE the job description for the Energy Educator/Manager.

Here's the part where you think back...to last July. The Energy Manager was the SOLITARY position that was "redlined", which is PC for "frozen". That's right...every one of the "Administrative Support" staff, EXCEPT the Energy Manager that is, got a raise last July.

At the time, we pointed out that it was this ONE position that actually saved the district money.
And so the Situation report notes:

Mr. Klaas’s Job Description Questionnaire did include most of his tasks. The district is fortunate that he approaches every aspect of operating building equipment from the perspective of how it impacts energy usage. After forty-five months of employment (through 12/2009) the district has avoided over 2.5 million dollars of energy usage.

Tom Brooks, Greg Klaas, Phil Frei, and Annette Mikula have reviewed and revised the current job description for the Energy Educator/Manager. The job description is now aligned with the work that is being performed by the position. We have also reviewed what we want the position to be able to do and feel that this is the work that will enable the district to see the greatest energy consumption reduction results. In addition, the district has contacted some other districts who do not use EEI to find out how they go about scheduling rooms and space for use and energy consumption. We have found that Janesville, Waunakee, and Deforest contract out this service with NAMI. NAMI is scheduling, monitoring, and providing scheduled maintenance like filter changes, greasing, etc. for these districts. NAMI's fee is $100 per hour.

And that's where the poker tell lies. Pat yourself on the back and consider a Vegas vacation if you picked up on it. Or ...maybe the district should refrain from playing any poker.
For those that don't occasionally play a friendly game of poker, a poker "tell" is a sign which suggests something about the hand someone is playing.

The key "tells" here are that (A) the job description is being revised, and (B) others that do this job are being paid $100/ hour.

Do we REALLY need to tell you what cards the district is holding?
Care to bet that the NEXT move will be to establish a new pay rate based on the "revised" job description?

The Energy Manager is currently paid $22.20/hour, and the job is not full time. In 45 months, Mr. Klaas has effectively "avoided" $2,500,000 in energy costs for the district. That comes to $55,555 per month. That's about 10-15 times what he grosses per month. File that under: Things that make you go, "Hmmmm".

So...Step 1: Update the JD. Step 2: Request a salary increase. How long before we see that one? Now, after all the pomp and circumstance of the whole admin support job review, we're going to revise things? NOW!? And where is that money coming from given the budget picture? Heck...maybe they'll use the revenue from personal appliance fees!

Wait...here is the bigger question to ask: which one got it wrong last year:

Was it the consultant whom we paid a ton of money to research ALL administrative support staff positions and determine an equitable rate of pay?

Or was it our district Human Resources staff, who really was not clear on what the responsibilities of the Energy Manager were and thus gave bad information to the consultant?

Oh...and did we forget to mention that the chair of Human Resources is none other than Caren Diedrich, who is up for re-election? Might want to watch her for more "tells".