The purpose of the Town of Tonawanda Employee Suggestion Program is
to secure for the Town of Tonawanda and its taxpayers the maximum benefit
from the conservation of town resources. The program recognizes that the employees
of the Town of Tonawanda represent an unlimited source of ideas for new ways
to better serve the public. The offering of monetary and honorary awards is
intended to offer a significant incentive for employees to become involved
in the creative process and to amplify the capabilities of management. The
program recognizes that every employee will, by identifying problems and providing
possible solutions, become in a very real sense a part of the creative management
team.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES
All town employees, whether full-time, part-time or volunteer, are
eligible to submit suggestions. Former employees are also eligible as long
as the suggestions were submitted prior to separation of service with the
town, such separation was voluntary and the suggestion is implemented within
one year of submittal. Department heads and supervisors, where supervisors'
job responsibilities call for them to seek methods to improve operations or
services, shall not be eligible for cash awards for suggestions which deal
with operations under their own supervision. They may, however, receive cash
awards for suggestions that deal with operations other than those under their
supervision or assigned general responsibility. Members of the Town Board
may never receive cash awards.
MERIT AWARD BOARD
A.
This Board shall consist of the following individuals: the Town Supervisor;
two Town Board members, to be appointed annually at the town reorganization
meeting; and two private citizens with business backgrounds, to be appointed
annually at the town reorganization meeting.
B.
The Merit Award Board shall have the power and duty to make rules and
regulations pertaining to the payment of employee awards. All decisions of
the Merit Award Board regarding the worthiness of a suggestion for an award
and the amount of such award shall be final and binding and shall not be subject
to review in any court or before any other body, except as provided for in
the rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with this chapter.
C.
Members of the Merit Award Board shall not receive any salary or compensation
for service as members of such Board.
SUGGESTION REVIEW COMMITTEE
A.
This Committee shall consist of the following individuals: the Director
of Labor Relations; the Town Comptroller; three private citizens with business
backgrounds, to be appointed by the Town Supervisor; and a department head
as designated by the Town Supervisor.
B.
The Suggestion Review Committee shall receive all suggestions, as defined
above, review them and forward their recommendations to the Merit Award Board
for final determination. The Suggestion Review Committee may use other resources
in order to complete their investigation/analysis.
C.
The Suggestion Review Committee shall have the power and duty to make
all rules and regulations implementing the receipt of suggestions by employees,
the review of such suggestions by the Suggestion Review Committee and the
criteria for determining which suggestions shall be forwarded to the Merit
Award Board. All decisions of the Suggestion Review Committee shall be final
and binding and shall not be subject to review in any court or before any
other body, except as provided for in rules and regulations promulgated in
accordance with this chapter.
D.
Members of the Suggestion Review Committee shall not receive any salary
or compensation for service as members of the Committee.
SUGGESTION
A definite, constructive, original idea or a new application of an
old idea submitted in writing by one or more eligible town employees which
is intended to do the following: increase productivity; conserve town resources;
reduce town costs; or improve the morale of town employees. The suggestions
must not be the kind which employees are reasonably expected to develop in
the course of their regular duties. The Merit Award Board retains complete
authority in defining acceptable suggestions and in accepting or rejecting
such suggestions.
The Town Board is hereby empowered to fund and expend moneys for the
purpose of this chapter.
Local Law No. 3-1980, providing for the establishment of a Merit Award
Board for the Town of Tonawanda, New York, and also known as "Chapter 19,
Merit Award Board, of the Code of the Town of Tonawanda, New York," is hereby
repealed.