CHARLESTON, W.Va. –West Virginia Parkways Authority Executive Director Chuck Smith says the authority has begun discussions on updating policies throughout the system.
Discussions on the matter began at the authority’s most recent meeting in late May.
Smith told MetroNews that after taking office and establishing his staff, they realized some policies may be outdated.
“We were lacking in so many areas as far as being current with current laws and being current as far as referencing from statute to another or one form to another, all of our policies were kind of mismatched a little bit,” he said.
Smith said he does not believe any staff members did anything wrong, but he wants to ensure necessary changes are made.
Some of the policies under review include personnel policies related to recruitment and employment:
– employment procedures
– background checks
– orientation of new employees
– temporary and part time employees
– equal employment opportunity
– probationary employment periods
– Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
– nepotism
Smith said he wants to update these policies and others to ensure staff members understand them.
“We just need to make sure that we have it in writing, that it’s a simple process people can understand the rules, understand the policies that are in place, not only for protection of the parkways but protection of those individuals,” he said.
Smith said the review process is just getting started and that it will take time to go through everything.
“It’s an ongoing process, and this is just the first of a go-around like I said we’re hitting all the policies and procedures making sure that everything is in place, what we’re doing is above reproach and we’re doing the right thing,” he said.
Once those are completed, Smith said the authority will begin reviewing other areas that may need to be changed.
“After we’re done with the policies and procedures, we’ll move on down to other facets and kind of work our way through the whole system and make sure that what we’re doing is correct,” Smith said.