Item M6
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: November 20. 2001
Division:
County Administrator
Bulk Item: Yes
No l.-
Department: County Administrator
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Direction to the Administration to proceed with an adjustment of salaries for key positions within the
Growth Management Division and to follow-up with additional salary considerations throughout the
balance of County government, including establishment of incentives to attract and retain employees.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
There has been much discussion concerning turnover within the Growth Management Division. The
Board of County Commissioners asked for the Administration to return with a recommendation on
how to handle the situation.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
As above.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Establishment of policy to be followed by the Administration as above in agenda item wording.
TOTAL COST:
Unknown at this time.
BUDGETED: Yes
No
COST TO COUNTY:
Unknown at this time.
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes_ No X
AMOUNTPERMONTH_ Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _
OMB/Purchasing _ Risk Management_
~~
James L. Roberts
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL:
DOCUMENTATION:
Included X
To Follow_
Not Required_
DISPOSITION:
AGEND~ITEM# /-/11&
APPROACHES TO EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
Over the years, the County has been concerned with its ability to recruit
employees from out of the County for positions that play a very significant role within
the County's structure and to reduce what frequently has been a significant level of
employee turnover. At one point, employee turnover was calculated at 20% per annum.
Actions taken by the Board of County Commissioners and the Administration reduced
that to a more acceptable 12 - 13%. The elimination of approximately 125 positions as
part of the downsizing process has also helped in keeping a lid on turnover.
The most visible problems associated with recruitment and retention are in the
Growth Management Division. Because the County is so heavily involved in
implementing its Comprehensive Plan and controlling the level and type of growth,
problems within this Division are magnified. In the recent two years, there has been
significant turnover related to a number of reasons. One of those, of course, is salary.
Other reasons include the type of work that new hires anticipated to be doing only to have
their functions less oriented to traditional planning and more toward regulation, the cost
of living in the Keys, the high cost and lack of readily available housing, and a change in
the type of community from the ones from which the new hires came. Exit surveys
indicate at some level all of these are operative.
It is important and necessary to address these issues not only in the Growth
Management Division but also in other parts of the County structure. The Board of
County Commissioners requested a program be developed for adjusting the salaries
within Growth Management. The Administration, including all of the Division Directors
and the Director of Administrative Services, reviewed the manner in which this might be
accomplished and recommend to the Board of County Commissioners that there J)e. a
methodical, objective approach to undertaking these adjustments within Growth
Management and within other parts of the County government. The policies and
procedures adopted by the Board of County Commissioners give the Administrator the
authority to undertake such actions commensurate with the Board's policies and within
the existing budget authority.
Therefore, rather than just singling out certain positions within the Division of
Growth Management, the Administration will implement the following approach:
1. Review first recommendations for salary adjustments for employee
recruitment and retention within the Division of Growth Management.
Decisions will be made within 30 days in reference to those changes.
All changes will have to be within the existing budget authority.
2. Similarly review on a division by division basis salaries for positions
that have similar recruitment and retention characteristics and which
are of great significance to the major issues facing the County.
3. Positions considered and decisions should be based upon:
a) Importance of the position to the major goals of the County
b) Difficulty in recruitment and retention of qualified people for the
position
c) Time for recruitment for qualified people for the position
d) The level of disruption of productivity and operations if the
position is vacant
4. Subsequent to any adjustments for specific positions, all positions
should return to the merit program for subsequent annual salary
adjustments
5. There should be established incentives to attract potential employees,
moving allowances for all positions above a particular grade, expenses
for individuals who come to the Keys to interview (already in place for
senior positions), hiring enhancements for senior staff in positions
difficult to recruitment (can be utilized for guaranteed training,
education, and contribution to deferred compensation plan).
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6. Additional incentives should be established including expanded
educational opportunities to encourage retention of employees and
advancement and allow for increased opportunities for advancement.
7. Establishment of a reward program for employees who save the
County significant levels of funds or who have major new ideas that
provide for greater efficiencies and effectiveness in supplying services.
8. Financial incentives for employees who obtain additional education,
training, and certifications that pertain to their positions. This is
especially important in the Building Department and for example in
certain areas of Public Works and Engineering.
9. Expand the flextime program to provide for employees' greater
freedom in their personal lives while fulfilling their obligations for the
County.
10. Provide for greater opportunity for senior management to recruit
potential employees at major national conferences such as those
pertaining to planning, engineering, financial issues, etc.
Some of the items above will require some ordinance or resolution changes by the
County Commission. Most of the items are within the purview of the Administrator to
approve.
The Administrator, the Division Directors, and the Director of Administrative
Services have reviewed these proposals and feel that this is the most productive and
efficient method of addressing the issues that have been raised. They will not be easy to
implement and there will be some criticism from individuals filling positions within the
County structure that they have not been considered or granted changes in conformance
with their job responsibilities or importance to the County. However, if the Board of
County Commissioners and the Administration support and implement the above
approach, that will go a long way to making changes which should serve to improve the
employment situation in the County.
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0~La-1v
James L. Roberts~
County Administrator
~~
" ,
. --Sheila Barker, Director
Administrative Services
eggie Paros, Director
Division of Public Safety
~~~
ent Pierce, Dire or
Division of Public Works
'"
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