Human Services Director Sue Futterer
On Tuesday, February 9, 2010, at the end of a threemonth trial period, the county board approved an “alternative work site” (AWS) agreement with Cook County Public Health and Human Services Director Sue Futterer – but not unanimously.
Last fall, Futterer requested that she be permitted to carry out some of her work duties from Virginia, Minnesota, where her husband Chuck had taken a job as superintendent of Virginia schools. Part of her job as department head involves advocating for the county at meetings and boards that meet outside the county.
The county board allowed a trial period in light of the possibility of county public health and human service departments merging to form regional service delivery centers. The initiative is being called Human Services Redesign. If Cook County became part of a regional service delivery system, its Public Health and Human Services Department might not have a department head onsite.
The AWS plan signed by county board chair Fritz Sobanja and Futterer refers only to the Redesign, not personal reasons, as its rationale for the agreement. According to the document, the plan is being allowed because of Futterer’s “past and present levels of performance,” the department’s “ability to handle this work model,” and “the need to meet changing requirements made by the state.”
The plan does not “change the basic terms and conditions of the director’s employment, salary, benefits, job, or work responsibilities, or create a right for any other county employees for an AWS plan.”
The county is providing some equipment for Futterer’s use in Virginia, such as a computer, software, and a data access plan for her cell phone, but will assume no responsibility for wear and tear on Futterer’s personal property or equipment. She will pay for costs related to maintaining her home office, such as electricity, heat, property tax, insurance, Internet connection, and furniture. Her home office in Virginia has a phone line that rings when her Cook County courthouse number is dialed.
Futterer will not be paid for time or costs traveling between the courthouse and her home in Virginia, although she will be compensated for travel from either location to work-related meetings outside Cook County.
A February 3 report from Futterer to the board regarding the trial period states, “My conclusion from the [staff] survey results, discussions with other department heads, and professionals with whom I work with on a regular basis is that the quality work of the agency continued and our mission was not affected by this pilot project. I agree with the many that have commented that while this can help us prepare and understand the impacts of system change on clients, staff, and [the] agency, the time frame was much too short to make predictions of what lies ahead for PHHS in Cook County following the Human Services Redesign.
“Also, important to note is the fact that during the pilot which began November 1st there were six county holidays as well as several days of paid leave that I was scheduled to use in December. There were a total of 65 workdays during the pilot period. Approximately 21 days were spent working in the courthouse office, 14 days attending out-of-town meetings, conferences, etc., and 12 days were spent working from an AWS. I also used 12 days of planned leave for health reasons and vacation.
“…I continue to own my home and live in Cook County the majority of time. Thisis my main residence and I continue to use local services, support the businesses, and take part in community activities.”
Futterer plans to work from her alternative work site only one day in February.
At the February 9 county board meeting, Social Work Supervisor Grace Bouchard said of Futterer, “She is always available. We’ve always had a good flow of decision-making and work processes.”
Commissioner Jan Hall disagreed with the concept of a county employee regularly performing work duties outside the county. She was the only commissioner to vote no on a motion to approve the AWS plan on an ongoing basis.
Keith Kuckler started a topic line on the issue in Cook County Conversations, an online discussion forum at E-Democracy.org. He wrote, “Do those who are county employees, paid for by local taxes, have some obligation to live in the county that pays their wages? At a time when we are told that the county needs all the well paying jobs that it can get, does allowing this amount to ‘outsourcing?’”
A response from county Personnel Director Janet Simonen said, “Minnesota Statute prohibits cities or counties from establishing residency requirements as a condition of employment, though reasonable response times to a work site can be imposed if there is a demonstrated, job-related necessity….”
Kuckler continued, “…Why not make the job a contract position? … We then could eliminate the countyprovided benefits package and save some money.”
Simonen wrote, “Contracting for professional services does not automatically cost less. In addition, concerns about county money ‘leaving’ the area are not lessened through the use of professional service contracts; they may even be increased.”
Kuckler said, “I hope all of us will take the time to let our county commissioners know how we feel.”
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