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Smyrna revising open door policy for inclusion
SMYRNA, Tenn. (WKRN) — Members of the Smyrna Town Council are looking to improve how they resolve employee complaints and grievances in order to foster a more inclusive environment. During a meeting on Tuesday, the council discussed the approval of the terms of a revised open door policy.
According to the current employee handbook, the director of human resources or town manager handles grievances. The new changes would only enhance that rule and provide further direction for the council and the mayor.
Town Attorney Jeff Peach answered a question about the process from Smyrna Mayor Mary Esther Reed. She asked for clarification on how to address an employee who comes to her or a council member about a complaint.
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'If the complaint was against me, then you would have [Town Manager David] Santucci to go to, and vice versa, and you would hold us accountable for making sure that those next steps are in place,' Peach said.
However, if the complaint was against both the town manager and town attorney, Peach said they would look for outside counsel to address the grievance.
Several council members shared their thoughts about the changes, including Councilman Steve Sullivan, who wanted to make the policy more transparent for all members to receive notification of the complaint.
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'I would like it to take a step further and maybe even have the language in here somewhere that if this form is used related to either one of your positions, the entire council needs to be made aware of it, not just one member,' Sullivan said.
The Smyrna Town Council voted to defer the action so members can add new language to address their concerns. The matter will be brought back up at July's meeting.
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