MONROE - No one on the Salary and Personnel Committee looked the gift horse in the mouth Tuesday night, but at least one member was concerned about the city accepting such a magnanimous offer.
The committee unanimously accepted Swiss Colony's offer for its human resources department to audit the city's human resources functions. Swiss Colony made the same proposal to the county.
"I'm interested myself to see where we're at," committee Chairman Mark Coplien said after the meeting. He called the offer "absolutely fantastic" and said it came with no strings attached.
Coplien guessed some parts of the city's HR policy may be 10 years old.
He estimated the value of Swiss Colony's offer between $20,000 and $40,000.
"The offer is just wonderful," Alderman Jan Lefevre said. "But my only concern is the public perception. We don't want to look like we're favoring or beholden for what they're doing."
Joe Hunter, Vice President of Swiss Colony, Human Resources, said the perception of Swiss Colony trying to run the city or the county is a valid one.
"There might have been a day when that was true," Hunter said. "But I don't think Swiss Colony wants to run the city in any way, shape or form."
Mayor Ron Marsh said this was not the only time a business has partnered with the city, and Swiss Colony was a business offering "to help the city with its HR products."
"Swiss Colony is doing nothing more than trying to be a good partner in the community," he said.
Hunter said in February or March Swiss Colony started looking at what it, as Monroe's largest employer with multiple employees with masters and bachelor degrees in HR, could do to assist local governments.
The proposal was submitted to the city about four to five weeks ago, Marsh said.
Marsh said during his visits to businesses in the community in the spring of 2006 he "extended a hand as a city" and "asked them to help us to grow together."
The offer from Swiss Colony is not a "knee jerk reaction," Marsh said, and has "no strings attached."
Complications in human resources stem from constant changes in laws, rules and requirements, Marsh said.
Hunter called the government departments and programs involved in HR rules an "alphabet soup." Hunter said Swiss Colony spent $12,000 in legal fees to produce its own employee handbook and spends "a great deal to keep up with changes in the rules."
Committee member Keith Ingwell said with "a budget tighter than ever," offers such as Swiss Colony's was a way to "get the things we know we need."
Coplien said an audit would not involve personal information, just evaluation forms and guidelines and policies.
"We're not giving up any privacy," he said. "Anytime we're feeling uncomfortable, we can pull the plug."
Swiss Colony's offer includes auditing the city's human resource forms, policies, procedures and responsibilities.
Their report based on research and interviews with key department heads will sort out the good, the not so good and items that need changing ASAP, along with suggestions for implementing those changes, and suggestions for the future.
If the city decides it could further use Swiss Colony's expertise, the company said it would work with the city to find a reasonable way of compensation based on time involved.
Coplien said preparations for the audit may begin "relatively soon" after July 4.
The committee unanimously accepted Swiss Colony's offer for its human resources department to audit the city's human resources functions. Swiss Colony made the same proposal to the county.
"I'm interested myself to see where we're at," committee Chairman Mark Coplien said after the meeting. He called the offer "absolutely fantastic" and said it came with no strings attached.
Coplien guessed some parts of the city's HR policy may be 10 years old.
He estimated the value of Swiss Colony's offer between $20,000 and $40,000.
"The offer is just wonderful," Alderman Jan Lefevre said. "But my only concern is the public perception. We don't want to look like we're favoring or beholden for what they're doing."
Joe Hunter, Vice President of Swiss Colony, Human Resources, said the perception of Swiss Colony trying to run the city or the county is a valid one.
"There might have been a day when that was true," Hunter said. "But I don't think Swiss Colony wants to run the city in any way, shape or form."
Mayor Ron Marsh said this was not the only time a business has partnered with the city, and Swiss Colony was a business offering "to help the city with its HR products."
"Swiss Colony is doing nothing more than trying to be a good partner in the community," he said.
Hunter said in February or March Swiss Colony started looking at what it, as Monroe's largest employer with multiple employees with masters and bachelor degrees in HR, could do to assist local governments.
The proposal was submitted to the city about four to five weeks ago, Marsh said.
Marsh said during his visits to businesses in the community in the spring of 2006 he "extended a hand as a city" and "asked them to help us to grow together."
The offer from Swiss Colony is not a "knee jerk reaction," Marsh said, and has "no strings attached."
Complications in human resources stem from constant changes in laws, rules and requirements, Marsh said.
Hunter called the government departments and programs involved in HR rules an "alphabet soup." Hunter said Swiss Colony spent $12,000 in legal fees to produce its own employee handbook and spends "a great deal to keep up with changes in the rules."
Committee member Keith Ingwell said with "a budget tighter than ever," offers such as Swiss Colony's was a way to "get the things we know we need."
Coplien said an audit would not involve personal information, just evaluation forms and guidelines and policies.
"We're not giving up any privacy," he said. "Anytime we're feeling uncomfortable, we can pull the plug."
Swiss Colony's offer includes auditing the city's human resource forms, policies, procedures and responsibilities.
Their report based on research and interviews with key department heads will sort out the good, the not so good and items that need changing ASAP, along with suggestions for implementing those changes, and suggestions for the future.
If the city decides it could further use Swiss Colony's expertise, the company said it would work with the city to find a reasonable way of compensation based on time involved.
Coplien said preparations for the audit may begin "relatively soon" after July 4.