During a recent government meeting, significant discussions centered around the Hereford report, a workplace assessment conducted in August 2018, which addressed various personnel challenges within the city. The report, which had seemingly been overlooked for years, highlighted issues such as employee complaints, union grievances, and low morale, and made several recommendations for improvement.

The current city manager, who took office after a five-month vacancy, revisited the report and confirmed that nearly all of its 31 recommendations had been implemented. These included the establishment of new workplace policies, an updated employee handbook, and various training sessions covering topics such as employee rights and workplace conduct. Notably, the city subscribed to the Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM) to ensure ongoing updates to the employee handbook in line with changing laws.

The city manager expressed satisfaction with the current workplace environment, reporting no grievances or complaints since their arrival. They emphasized a collaborative team atmosphere and outlined plans to compile a comprehensive list of departmental accomplishments for the year.

Additionally, a resident raised concerns about accessing the city’s code of ordinances. In response, the city clerk prepared a tutorial to assist residents, which will be made available online for easier access.

The meeting also touched on the status of a supplemental report related to the Hereford report, with assurances that all questions posed in that document had been addressed. The city manager offered to provide any additional information needed to clarify outstanding queries.

Overall, the meeting underscored a commitment to transparency and improvement within the city's workforce, while also addressing resident inquiries regarding municipal resources.