Normally employees are allowed access to their offices via a key code. The township administration is denying access to a full time employee for ninety days.
Is this reasonable or is it harassment?
HERE IS SOME OF THE CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THE ISSUE:
From: Patrick J Murphy [mailto:patrick@belvideretownship.org]
Sent: Monday, October 07, 2013 12:53 PM
To: 'Diann Helnore'
Subject: RE: Restricting Access of Full time Assessor's employee to Belvidere Township Building
Diann, Please reframe from unloading upon my staff, if you have any questions please direct them to me. Thanks for copying the board.
From: Diann Helnore [mailto:dhelnore@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, October 07, 2013 11:47 AM
To: Terri Bullard; patrick@belvideretownship.org
Cc: 'Kathy Grover'; 'Bill Robertson'; 'Richard Nelson'; 'Robert Turner'; 'Keri-Lyn Krafthefer'; TDever@uaw.net
Subject: RE: Restricting Access of Full time Assessor's employee to Belvidere Township Building
Dear Terri,
It is my understanding that you have not issued Jessica Muellner a key to the Township Building, as I had requested you to do, in my Email of October 2, 2013, because you did not think she should have a key until her 90 day probation period was up. In my opinion this is unprecedented discriminatory behavior. Please know that you are directly interfering with the operation of my department, and you are acting against my direct wishes and request.
Restricting Access of my employee to the Township building and the Assessor’s office is a decision that only I should make. Jessica Muellner is a FULL Time township employee in the Assessor’s office with the same rights and responsibilities as every other township employee. Any decisions related to her performance and/or her new employee probationary period rest with the elected department manager (the Assessor) and the Int. Union Representative as it relates to their bargaining agreement. This probationary period should not be reflected in any way to include building access.
Numerous people have access to the Township Building on a regular basis, and with the vast number of security cameras and electronic coded key card access I can see no logical reason for restricting my new employee, Jessica Muellner’s access to the building. Please issue Jessica a Building key card as soon as possible. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Diann M. Helnore
From: Diann Helnore [mailto:dhelnore@comcast.net] Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2013 3:44 PM
To: Terri Bullard (belvideret@yahoo.com); patrick@belvideretownship.org
Cc: 'Kathy Grover'; 'Bill Robertson'; 'Richard Nelson'; 'Robert Turner'
Subject: Change in Key Personnel - Belvidere Township Assessor's Office - CONFIDENTIAL
To: Terri Bullard and Belvidere Township Personnel
This memo is to update you on a recent change of Personnel in the Belvidere Township Assessor’s Office. With deep regrets on Friday afternoon, September 27, 2013, I received and accepted the resignation of Deputy Assessor/ Certified IL Appraiser, Anita Taylor. Anita has been with the Assessor’s department 2 + years. She is an extremely competent individual with a strong work ethic who has contributed greatly to the department’s growth and success. She will be missed in this department.
On September 30, 2013, I extended an offer of employment Jessica Muellner (Board of Review member since 2009) to fill this position). Jessica is well qualified and has strong credentials to do this job. Jessica accepted our offer and has begun working for the Township on October 1, 2013 in the position of Residential Deputy assessor. This morning, October 2, 2013 at 10:00 o’clock, she was sworn into office by our County Clerk, Mary Steurer.
I am hoping that you will join me in wishing both Anita and Jessica the best for their futures.
Terri, by copy of this letter I am requesting that you please complete the final paper work for Anita Taylor and schedule new employee orientation for Jessica Muellner as soon as possible. Jessica will also need to have a key card assigned to her in order to enter the Township building.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
If you have any questions regarding this request, please call me.
Sincerely,
Diann M. Helnore
Mrs. Helnore has requested further information concerning the township’s policy by the following Freedom of Information Act request.
