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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-01-25-minutes-hr-study-sessionCOMMISSIONERS’ MINUTES KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON BOCC CONFERENCE ROOM REGULAR MEETING HR STUDY SESSION TUESDAY 10:00 AM 1/25/2022 Board members present: Laura Osiadacz, Cory Wright, Brett Wachsmith Others: Jerry Pettit, Sue Higginbotham, Christopher Horner, Julie Kjorsvik, Mandy Buchholz, Kristine Foreman, Jeanne Killgore CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 10:01 AM. CONSIDER REQUEST FOR RELOCATION FUNDS FOR BUDGET AND FINANCE DIRECTOR CANDIDATE IN THE AUDITOR’S OFFICE Auditor Pettit updated the Board that the top Budget and Finance Director candidate accepted the position and signed an offer letter to start on 3/07/2022. Auditor Pettit requested approval to provide the new Finance Director with a $10,000 on-time stipend to use towards moving expenses. Commissioner Wachsmith asked if something like this has been done before. HR Director Foreman answered that a one-time moving stipend of $5,000 was approved for the County Engineer. Auditor Pettit added that the $10,000 stipend would come with a stipulation that the new employee would be responsible for paying it back if his employment ended within the first 12 months of hire. Commissioner Wachsmith expressed interest in decreasing the stipend to $5,000. Commissioner Wright agreed, noting that the new employee is already receiving a substantial starting salary. The Board approved a one-time stipend of $5,000 to be used for moving costs. ADOPT AND SIGN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BOARD OF KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE KITTITAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, AND THE TEAMSTERS LOCAL NO. 760 REPRESENTING THE NON-UNIFORMED EMPLOYEES OF THE KITTITAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE HR Director Foreman presented the Board with a final draft of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with Teamsters Local 760 (Corrections Non-Uniformed). She requested approval of the CBA. Commissioner Wachsmith moved to approve the CBA between the Board of Commissioners, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Teamsters Local No. 760 representing non-uniformed employees of the Sheriff’s Office. Commissioner Wright seconded the motion. Motion was passed; 3:0 and the Commissioners signed the CBA. DISCUSSION OF BENEFITS PRORATION FOR LESS THAN FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES HR Director Foreman advised the Board that when the 2022 benefit changes were announced, there was no discussion about how benefits would be pro-rated for part-time staff. She reminded the Board COMMISSIONERS’ MINUTES KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON BOCC CONFERENCE ROOM REGULAR MEETING HR STUDY SESSION that core benefits for full-time employees are covered by the County at no cost to the employee. Director Foreman explained that most part-time employees believed that their benefits would also be covered by the County based on the language that was communicated during open enrollment. Director Foreman requested Board approval to have the County cover core benefits for all regular employees, both part-time and full-time. The Board approved the coverage of benefits for all regular part-time and full-time employees, and noted that the issue should be further discussed by the Benefits Committee when determining 2023 benefits. REQUEST TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION SETTING SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR 2023 Director Foreman presented the Board with a resolution to set the salaries of Elected Officials for the term 2023 – 2025. She noted that she kept everything consistent with the last resolution. She also noted that the salary for the Prosecutor is still being determined by the state. Commissioner Wachsmith moved to approve Resolution 2022-024 to set the salaries for Elected Officials for the term 2023 - 2025. Commissioner Wright seconded the motion. Motion was approved; 3:0. REQUEST TO APPROVE AN AMENDED RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2022 HOLIDAY SCHEDULE Director Foreman summarized that at the last HR Study Session the Board signed resolution 2022-009 to adopt the 2022 holiday schedule. However, an error was found in the resolution. Director Foreman presented a new resolution for Board approval. Commissioner Wachsmith moved to approve Resolution 2022-025 to approve the 2022 holiday schedule. Commissioner Wright seconded the motion. Motion was approved; 3:0. DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING COLA Director Foreman notified that Board that some County employees are at the top of their wage range, or so near the top that they won’t receive the 3.6% CPI increase as approved by the Board. Commissioner Wachsmith expressed interest in providing those staff with an out-of-range increase to provide them with the full 3.6% wage increase. Auditor Pettit noted that any special wage adjustment above the established wage range would require a resolution. HR Director Foreman will draft a resolution and bring it to her next Study Session. REQUEST TO CONSIDER A PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE COUNTY’S POLICY ON HANDLING WORKER’S COMPENSATION (L&I) CLAIMS HR Director Foreman advised the Board that the County’s experience rating with L&I has increased over the last three years, and presented a plan to improve the County’s Worker’s Compensation claim rates. She explained that there are several programs that the County could participate in to mitigate and decrease claims. Commissioner Wright expressed interest in learning more and requested that the topic be discussed at the next Study Session. OTHER BUSINESS COMMISSIONERS’ MINUTES KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON BOCC CONFERENCE ROOM REGULAR MEETING HR STUDY SESSION Auditor Pettit notified the Board that the Auditor’s Office did not withhold the WA CARES Fund tax from employees who were paid on 1/05/2022 because they did not yet have the infrastructure to do so. He further explained that he would like to refrain from deducting the CARES tax from employees while the legislature is still determining how and when to implement the program. The Board expressed support for not collecting the CARES tax at this time. RCW 42.30.110(g) to evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public employment or to review the performance of a public employee. However, subject to RCW 42.30.140(4), discussion by a governing body of salaries, wages, and other conditions of employment to be generally applied within the agency shall occur in a meeting open to the public, and when a governing body elects to take final action hiring, setting the salary of an individual employee or class of employees, or discharging or disciplining an employee, that action shall be taken in a meeting open to the public. At 10:48 AM the Board entered executive session for five minutes to discuss the performance of a public employee. Anticipated action: direction to staff. At the 10:53 AM the Board exited executive session. Direction to staff: proceed with creating a Records position within the Auditor’s Office. Commissioner Osiadacz discussed upcoming meeting schedules with the Board. ADJOURN The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 AM. KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON Kristine Foreman, HR Director Laura Osiadacz, Chairman