ETCOG okays 4-day work week

Some staff members at the East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) will experiment with a flex schedule work week.

The ETCOG board approve the adoption of a voluntary four, 10-hour day work scheduled for ETCOG employees. Knight said the move was to take some of the burden off ETCOG employees who drive long distances to and from work and due to the cost of fuel.

“Out of 64 employees, six or seven live in Kilgore,” said Glynn Knight, ETCOG executive director. “We have employees living in Nacogdoches, Lindale, Alto, Longview, Tyler, Marshall and several other places.”

“There will always be someone in each department five days a week,” Knight said. “The individual’s flex day will be decided upon by the department heads or supervisors.”

Knight said he feels departments feeling the most effect of the new work schedule will be finance, criminal justice and 91-1 and workforce.

Knight also brought the board up to date on the COG’s work with the FutureGen site selection committee. Rusty Howell of Marshall and Steve Dean of Upshur County were elected chairman and vicechairman at an earlier meeting.

The board set 1:30 p.m. Dec. 16 as the time to review the proposed recommendation from the FutureGen Site Selection Committee.

In other business, directors approved restoration for the building owned by ETCOG on Pentecost Road.

Three bids have been received for the project.

The directors also approved:

 Authorization of a AFLAC Flex One bank account with Regions Bank;

 The Skills Advancement Fund of East Texas contracts;

 The Fiscal Year 2006 -2007 air quality contract with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;  The Fiscal year 206 -2007 air quality contract with ENVION;

 The purchase of book covers for Air Quality Public Education Program for the 2006 school year;

 The purchase of computers for MiniBus, Inc.;

 The Economic Development Administration Planning Grant Application for 2006 2008;

 The upgrade of the East Texas Regional Development Company website and purchase of packaging software;

 The proposed residential repairs for senior citizens;

 The spring CLEC Contract;  The purchase of a plotter for 9-1-1 Addressing Program.