While serving as a union shop steward representing Clark County office workers, Barbara Melton said she’s had a recurring conversation with employees in the clerk’s office that shows there’s a morale problem.
“I’ve had members come to me and ask to be transferred out because they hate coming to work in the morning,” said Melton, a legal secretary in the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Melton, a Democrat, has made employee morale an issue in her campaign to unseat incumbent Clerk Scott Weber, a Republican. Calling it a “negative atmosphere,” Melton said employees in the clerk’s office are directed to not talk to each other, cooperate or ask each other questions regarding work. She said they are instead told to report their co-workers’ mistakes to management.
If elected, Melton said, she’ll work to empower employees and encourage collaboration.
But in an interview with The Columbian’s Editorial Board earlier this month, Weber pushed back on Melton’s assertions. He said the office routinely holds team-building activities, such as mazes and pumpkin-carving contests, intended to maintain a fun office environment.
Weber took issue with Melton’s characterization of communication in the office. The clerk’s office supports Superior Court by processing court documents and maintaining files. He said he wants significant errors reported to him because it could have ramifications up to the bench. If there is a discipline issue, his office follows the guidelines spelled out in the labor contract between Clark County and the union, he said.
He said he wants to make sure that employees have all the tools and training from others in the office versed in best practices.
“So I do think there is open communication,” he said. “I encourage people to share information.”
When asked about staff turnover, Weber said the office hasn’t been fully staffed this year and that multiple people have left. Melton said that’s a problem.
“When you’re not fully staffed you’re always running low,” she said.
But Weber said a third of his staff has been at the office longer than he has. He added that other county offices, such as the prosecutor’s office, pay better and have lured his employees away.
An analysis of county records shows that between January 2014 and January 2018, 20 employees left the clerk’s office, which has a staff of 45. But other county offices headed by elected officials have also had turnover.
Clark County Assessor Peter Van Nortwick said in an email that in the last eight years, 37 employees have left his office, which has 42 positions. Of those, 20 people left between 2014 and 2018.
Van Nortwick said their reasons for leaving included retirements, terminations and maternity. Many left for other government jobs.
Longtime Treasurer Doug Lasher said in an email that his office has 25 people, including himself, and has seen 28 people leave in the last eight years. Of those, he said, 10 retired and 11 got better-paying jobs. The rest left either because of family reasons, termination, changes in technology or to pursue a career change.
In 2014, the county commissioned a survey to gauge employees’ attitudes toward their work environment and management. While the survey found employees felt positively about their work, it also revealed they had trust issues with county management.
Regarding the clerk’s office, the survey found 79 percent of employees gave responses indicating work engagement and 58 percent gave responses indicating job satisfaction. But 37 percent gave answers indicating they had support from their department head. Sixty-six percent gave answers indicative of “organizational cynicism.”
“I do look for feedback,” said Weber when asked by The Columbian’s Editorial Board about the survey. “One of the things we do today we might not be want to do tomorrow.”
In his bid for re-election, Weber has touted his accomplishments, including moving more documents to a digital format. He said he has traveled across the state to look for ways to improve the office. He said that as his office implements a new computer system, it’ll be a trying time for employees.
“There’s a lot of anxiety, and I know that even for me there’s anxiety,” he said. “But I’m the one who has to lead it and keep the smile on my face.”
