ML021760739

Kent TVA Oig Record of Interview, 8/15/96

ML021760739
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry, Watts Bar, Sequoyah
Issue date:	08/15/1996
From:	Kent C Tennessee Valley Authority
To:	NRC/SECY, US Dept of Labor (DOL)
References
-RFPFR, 50-259-CIVP, 50-260-CIVP, 50-296-CIVP, 50-327-CIVP, 50-328-CIVP, 50-390-CIVP, ASLBP 01-791-01-CIVP, EA-99-234, RAS 3933
Download: ML021760739 (3)

Text

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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY Office of tpi inspector General REC9RD OF INTERVIEW Name: Charles Position: Radiological a Chemistry Control Manager Office: Sequoyah N ear Plant (SON)

Work Tel.: IA0'51 CA,0O 7A Residence:

Home Tel.:

SSN:

Kent was conta ed at SON, advised of the identity of the interviewing agent, and interviewed coi~ceming a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) complaint filed by Gary L Fiser.

Kent fumish/ the following information.

TRANSFER OF SAM HARVEY FROM CORPORATE TO SON Kent advised that it was his understanding that TVA Corporate would be going through some reductions, and he was aware that certain positions would be eliminated. One of the Chemistry managers out of Corporate,,Sam Harvey, worked mainly with SON. Kent was

• concerned and wanted to keep Harvey's expertise in support of SON. They have a Chemistry position at SQN that Harvey could have filled; and, to date, they still have not filled that position.

Approximately one year ago, they lost a Chemistry person at SQN, and they still have not filled the position. Kent said this was partly due from the pressure exerted by Corporate to go to a standardized organization throughout the three nuclear sites. The other two nuclear sites did not have a Chemistry position assigned to their plants.

Kent said that Harvey was assigned to Corporate and spent most of his time working at SON. Kent was familiar with Harvey's qualifications and work skills, and he wanted to retain Harvey at SON. Kent said that he and Gordon Rich, SON, initiated a verbal request to Tom McGraff, Corporate senior manager over Chemistry, requesting that Corporate transfer Sam Harvey's position to SON because they had a vacancy at SON. They were informed Investigation On: August 15, 16 At Sequoyah Nuclear Plant By: David V.VanBockerA:MEM File: OIG No. 2D-169 -. /

25692 OIG-02 (10/93)

"* ." This documU conitains nithrrcommco *if onn nor onclo of the 0.It is 'he propeyftylI 01 nd toyou. ftaind i*ts andisloaMi nen s=ould not be distributed outside of TVAwiWtout Ihe permisom of the Inspector Genural.

Ef.V0o1o0

Continuation of Interview of Charles E. Kent, Jr. 2 by Ron Grover, Corporate Manager, Chemistry, that McGraff did not think we were going through the correct process in trying to transfer Sam Harvey and his position to SON; therefore, McGraff denied the request. Based on McGraffs denial, no further discussions were held concerning the transfer of Sam Harvey and his position to SON.

Based on their long-term organizational goals, Kent felt that he still had this position available and needed someone with Sam Harvey's qualifications to fill the position. Kent's initial thought was that if they planned on making some cuts at the Corporate level, transferring Harvey's position to SQN would allow Corporate to retain more qualified personnel without eliminating people and positions. All of the discussions concerning the transfer of Harvey and his position to SON occurred before any of the reorganizational process or downsizing discussions for the Chemistry organization.

SELECTION COMMITTEE The reorganization and downsizing process started in the spring of 1996. Kent recalled being contacted by Wilson McArthur during the latter part of June or the early part of July, during a peer focus group, to serve on a selection board to select the candidates for Chemistry and RADCON positions. Kent could not specifically recall the date or location when McArthur discussed with Kent and other Chemistry managers about serving on the

,election committee. He did recall that McArthur wanted the other Chemistry senior managers at each nuclear site to serve on the selection committee. Kent said that John Corey, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, and Jack Cox, Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN), were also selected to serve on the selection committee.

Kent thought the selection committee was selected approximately one month before they met to interview the candidates for the vacancies.

Kent later learned that Cox had a previous commitment and could not serve on the selection committee. Cox did relate to Kent and Corey that Fiser had worked for Cox at WBN and had done a commendable job and that Cox favored Fiser. Based on Cox's previous commitment and his preference for Fiser, Cox did not serve on the selection committee and was replaced by Bill Rogers out of Corporate.

Kent said that prior to the selection committee meeting to interview the candidates, he was made aware of Fiser's filing a current DOL complaint He could not recall specifically who told him that Fiser had filed the complaint; however, he thought that McArthur might have told him. Kent was aware that Fiser had filed a previous DOL complaint in 1993, and Kent was interviewed about that complaint and was familiar with some of the issues.

Kent said that he was in total support of the process being utilized by operations support to reorganize and downsize. Kent felt that it was fair to post and fill the positions because the EEOO0011

-- St Continuation of Interview of Charles E. Kent, Jr. 3 positions' descriptions had changed, and this was the normal process used throughout TVA.

Kent said that he felt that the selection committee was very fair, and no one had a preconceived selection prior to the interviews and selection of the candidates. Kent was not aware of any wrongdoing by McArthur or McGraff on the posting -ofthe position or on the selection of the selection committee.

Kent was not aware of any safety concerns brought up by Fiser prior to the selection process, and he was not influenced in any way because Fiser had filed a previous DOL complaint DW:MEM 25692 EE00CO12