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Allowing SMHA employee to telecommute meant to maintain continuity

Community group claims housing  official’s telecommutes unnecessary

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By Samantha Sommer, Staff Writer Updated 9:19 AM Thursday, August 26, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — When Angela Stephens let her boss, SMHA Executive Director Barbara Stewart, know she would have to leave because of her husband’s job relocation, that got Stewart thinking.

“A lot of the things she did, she did on the computer or over the phone anyway,” Stewart said.

The Springfield Metropolitan Housing Authority had recently had turnover in its finance department, and was in the middle of a software conversion and rebuilding its Lincoln Park housing.

So with the goal of maintaining continuity during a busy time and keeping what Stewart described as a hard-working and well-educated employee, she asked Stephens to telecommute from her home office in North Carolina on an interim basis, beginning in April 2009.

“There are talented people around that we can get from anywhere,” Stewart said. “And that’s not to say that won’t happen next week or next month. But at the time and for the past year, it has been a tremendous help as we’re trying to finish out the HOPE VI project and do some of the other things we are doing, to at least keep that continuity in place.”

Much of the human relations work Stephens does as director of administrative services is computer-based, Stewart said, and she is available by phone, e-mail and webcam.

SMHA did thorough research first, Stewart said, including on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development policies and tax requirements. The board adopted a telecommuting policy based on HUD’s policy. Stewart and the housing authority board also review the telecommuting regularly.

Stephens comes to Springfield typically every other month, usually for a week. Travel expenses average $800 to $900 a trip, with the total bill since she began telecommuting coming to about $6,400 to $7,200.

A local community group, Citizens for Progressive Action, believes it is wasteful and the work could be done by someone locally, President Dicer Oxner said.

“It’s a waste of money ... The public needs to know how government money is being spent,” said Oxner, a former SMHA board member.

She and other CPA members have attended SMHA board meetings, written letters and met with Stewart.

Oxner also doesn’t like that Stephens usually stays in hotels out of town, such as in Miamisburg.

Stewart said Stephens looks for the least expensive hotels and flights. The agency tries to keep the travel and costs to a minimum, Stewart said, and she is comfortable with the costs so far.

Oxner asked how SMHA knows whether or not Stephens is actually working.

Stephens knows telecommuting might not fit for all employees. She said she is responsible, gets all her work done and meets deadlines.

“I definitely do work ... I take it very seriously,” she said. “It’s not vacation time for me.”

Oxner also takes issue with Stephens’ pay increases.

Stephens’ pay has increased since she began in 2004, with her biggest raise coming as the result of a promotion to a managerial position.

She began as an administrative services assistant and made $37,000. Her salary was increased to $42,000 in 2005 and then to $52,000 in 2006. That year she received a promotion to department director and took on the responsibilities of two other jobs, including the work of one person who was deployed to Iraq for more than a year.

“She was essentially doing two different jobs,” Stewart said.

Since then she has received merit raises, with her last one bringing her salary to $62,000. She has not had a raise since October 2008.

Her pay remains in line with the other department directors, Stewart said, and she has had good personnel reviews.

“I try to keep everybody pretty much even,” Stewart said.

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