Minutes and scrapbooks

By record type, then chronological.

The State Legislature established experimentally in 1946 and permanently in 1948 a three-member State Employees' Merit Award Board to plan and administer awards programs for meritorious suggestions and accomplishments.

The Governor appointed the Board but it was administratively located in the Department of Civil Service. The Board had the authority to appoint agency committees to analyze, review, and make recommendations on State employees' suggestions and accomplishments. Between 1946 and 1961, the program's major component was the State Employees Suggestion Program in which cash and merit certificates were awarded for suggestions which increased government efficiency. Suggestions were reported to the Board by special committees established in each State agency. In 1961 the Legislature abolished the Board and transferred its authority and functions to the Civil Service Commission.

This series consists of the Board's minutes, scrapbooks, and few miscellaneous files.

The fourteen bound volumes of minutes contain each meeting's date and names of attendees, and a summary of Board actions. Most Board actions concern the disposition of suggestions but also included are administrative matters such as the appointments of department committees and the establishment of an awards plan. For most suggestions ruled on by the Board the following information is given: suggestion number; departmental committee(s) reporting the suggestion; and a short statement of the Board's determination including a summary of the suggestion and the amount of cash awarded, if approved, or the reason for rejection. Some suggestions, however, are simply listed as rejected by identification number and reporting committee. The suggester's name is never included in the minutes.

Included with the minutes is a 1947 to 1953 "Savings Book" containing for each suggestion receiving an award a departmental committee report, the employee's original suggestion, and correspondence. This book contains a detailed description and analysis of each suggestion and includes the suggester's name, the amount of time or money the suggestion would save, and the departmental committee's recommendation.

The Board's two scrapbooks contain newspaper articles on merit award winners and some photographs. The miscellaneous files contain Board annual reports, press releases, newsletters, and bulletins. These often contain lists of award winners and additional information about them. Also included are correspondence files; most relate to the activities of the National Association of Suggestion Systems (in which Board members were active participants).

14085-97: This accretion consists of one scrapbook of newspaper clippings containing articles concerning the Employees' Merit Board. Most of the clippings are from the "Civil Service Leader Merit" and capital area newspapers. Typical stories give name of awardee, amount of award, a brief description of the suggestion, and sometimes a photograph. Other stories document the creation and activities of the board. The bulk of the records date from 1947-1948. A published official text of the operating plan issued by the board is also included.

14085-84: One scrapbook contains a name index.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.