EAST?LONGMEADOW – The town hopes to create its first ever Human Resources (HR) Department in fiscal year 2017 (FY17), which could cost an estimated $146,250.

Appropriations Committee Chair Eric Madison told Reminder Publications he believes creating the department would save the town money in the long run.

“You save in other areas like legal fees and settlements and attorney’s fees,” he noted.  

He added, “In this day and age you have to have Human Resources. There’s everything from labor law, mandate requirements, not to mention work place issues that all fall under the human resources that quite frankly the town isn’t meeting those obligations because it doesn’t have a Human Resources [Department].”

Madison said the HR responsibilities currently fall to individual department heads who are not specifically trained in that field.

“Essentially the [HR] aspect of things isn’t getting done,” he explained. “You would probably find that it demonstrates itself in things like [Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination] complaints to grievances to lawsuits that occur in the community routinely because we’re failing in the human resources aspect.”

Madison said he believes the town is late to the game compared to other municipalities in adding this department.

“There’s been discussions for the last couple years,” he noted. “Up until now, there’s never been an actual developed plan presented to the Appropriations Committee. In years past, the concept has been discussed … and no plan was ever developed.”

Although the committee has yet to vote on whether to recommend the creation of the department, Madison said he believes most of the committee favors the idea.

He added the Appropriations Committee recently asked the Board of Selectmen to contact various other elected boards to gain feedback about the plan.

“Frankly, if you don’t have all the departments on board it’s not going to work,” Madison said. “We’re wasting our funds. So we’re looking for that collaboration between the elected boards to ensure that it’s a successful endeavor.”

The committee has yet to receive feedback from other elected boards or committees after asking the selectmen more than a week ago, he noted.

“Would it involve the school employees?” Madison stated. “Would it involve [Department of Public Works] employees? If not, it’s spending an awful lot of money for very few employees.”

he current benefits coordinator position would be merged into the potential new HR Department, he said.

Madison said the creation of the department would also require the need for a human resources director – a position the town could begin funding at the start of FY17 on July 1.

According to an unsigned draft document dated Jan. 21 that provides a description of the position, the director would work under the general direction of the town administrator and supervise an administrative assistant for human resources position and the benefits coordinator.

The general purpose outlined in the document indicates the individual hired for the position would be responsible for town government and School Department HR?functions for active employees and retirees such as personnel administration, benefits management, contract management, participation in the collective bargaining process, and working to remain in compliance with state and federal regulations.