[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Tonawanda 6-20-1994
by L.L. No. 5-1994. Amendments noted where applicable.]
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:
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.
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.
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.
Members of the Merit Award Board shall not receive any salary or compensation
for service as members of such Board.
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.
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.
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.
Members of the Suggestion Review Committee shall not receive any salary
or compensation for service as members of the Committee.
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.
A.Â
All necessary procedures for the submission and review
of suggestions, or for the awarding of either monetary or honorary awards,
will be established by the Suggestion Review Committee or the Merit Award
Board, respectively, subject to the following guidelines:
(1)Â
All suggestions become the property of the Town of Tonawanda
upon their receipt, and all decisions of the Merit Award Board or the Suggestion
Review Committee shall be final and binding and nonreviewable, except as provided
for in the rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with this chapter.
(2)Â
Duplicate suggestions cannot be given consideration for
cash awards. If duplicate suggestions are dated on the same day, the time
received in the Town Personnel Office shall govern the original and shall
be the only one eligible for award.
(3)Â
In order to be eligible for a cash award, a suggestion
with tangible benefits must result in at least $250 in projected savings during
the first year after implementation.
(4)Â
The amount of the cash award made for an adopted suggestion
shall be established by the Merit Award Board. Ten percent of the first year's
savings, with no cap, may be used as a guide.
(5)Â
All employees who have a suggestion adopted, either individually
or in collaboration with others, will receive an Employee Suggestion Award
Certificate and a letter of commendation, both of which will become a permanent
part of their personnel record.
(6)Â
All monetary awards will be charged to the budget of
the department which benefits most from the suggestion.
B.Â
Said rules and regulations shall govern the character
and quality of suggestions; the method of their submission and the procedures
for their review; the manner in which suggestions will be passed on to the
Merit Award Board; the kind, character and value of awards; the issuance and
payment of such awards; and any other policies and procedures as may be deemed
necessary or appropriate for the proper administration of this chapter.
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.
