Be Careful What You Say... Posted October 3, 2003
From: Sylvia Culver [mailto:sculver@af.public.lib.ga.us]
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 3:28 PM
To: allman@af.public.lib.ga.us [All AFPL Managers]
Cc: Mary Kay Hooker [and Human Resources office personnel]
Subject: Human Resource Branch/Department Visits
I will be visiting with employees in all branches/departments in
the Library System to find out how they are doing.
My schedule for the remainder of this year is attached. I will
communicate in advance any necessary changes.
The purpose of these visits is to have informal, round-table
discussions with employees regarding their overall Library work
experience. We will talk about such things as working conditions, work
relationships, communications, etc. I also want to tour each facility.
Prior to my visits, I will work with each manager to schedule
specific times for the tours and group meetings.
I am sending a memo to all staff informing them of these visits.
The feedback received from the employees will be summarized and
shared with the managers in order to facilitate necessary change
throughout the Library System. The employees' names will not be
included in the synopsis.
If you have questions, please let me know.
AFPLWATCH Comment:
Is Hooker really naive enough to belive that library employees are
going to open their hearts and minds to a personnel official who has
consistently countenanced the frequent and flagrant violations of
Merit System rules and procedures that have marked Hooker's regime? Is
there any doubt that Hooker has sent Culver out on a spying mission?
Any doubt that information or confidences divulged by employees to
Culver in her belated trip around the county's libraries won't
eventually be used against employees and/or their managers?
Any doubt that Hooker will not demand the names of persons who make
unflattering remarks about her? Any doubt that Culver will promptly
comply with that demand? Any doubt that Hooker, with Culver's guidance,
won't retaliate against those employees (and/or use their comments to
punish their managers)?
Given the untrustworthy administrators involved and the toxic work
environment fostered by Hooker, Culver's chats with "the little people"
are likely to be a profound waste of a highly-paid staff member's time.
(Nothing new there, of course...)
Posted September 22, 2003:
"We'd hoped to have some special studies available for you...our
attempts to maximize the efficiency with...some of the services that
have been in place for a long time but really needed a second look to
make sure we're really getting as much work out of those areas or if
we need to re-deploy staff."--Mary Kaye Hooker to the trustees (Minutes of the Board's July
23, 2003 meeting, page 14)
AFPLWATCH Comment:
Does this mean the administration is finally taking "a second look" at
the level of staffing at the East Point Branch???
Posted July 10, 2003:
From the Minutes of the June 25th meeting of the Library Board of
Trustees:
Trustee Clint Johnson: "...It's looking like we're not going to have full-time
employees for Ocee."
Director Mary Kaye Hooker: "So far that's true."
Trustee Johnson: "So the only way we are going to open Ocee is
transfer from other branches existing employees...we got a library here
that is probably going to be done in the middle of next year and it's
not going to be staffed."
Director Hooker: "Well, we have two that are due next
year, East Atlanta and Ocee, and there are no new staff for either one...."
Trustee Johnson: "Right."
Director Hooker: "So we do have a major challenge. One of the
things we are looking at is some different strategies and I don't care
to go on record right now because it would be premature and create
expectations...."
Trustee Johnson: "Okay. Well, we'll figure it out as we go along...."
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