Benton County Officials Eye Personnel Requests

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace say they'll take a hard look at some mid-year job changes requested by elected officials and department heads.

The county traditionally looks at personnel requests in the middle of the budget year, but the Quorum Court wants savings in personnel to offset some of the cost of rural ambulance service.

The justices of the peace asked elected officials to limit personnel requests after an ambulance plan was defeated in February. The Quorum Court agreed to take $256,000 from reserve to pay for ambulance service and repay that from savings in personnel. The county has realized $115,000 through the end of May, said Mike Crandall, accounting manager.

Barb Ludwig, human resources manager, worked on the requests Friday for a Monday meeting of the Job Evaluation, Salary and Administration Policy Committee. That committee includes elected officials and Shirley Sandlin, justice of the peace for District 8 and head of the Personnel Committee.

The requests include some new positions, changes in grade and in job description. The committee will review the requests and make any changes to the job grades, which will determine the cost of the items sent on to the Personnel Committee for consideration. Some of the changes, such as a reorganization in the Road Department, will add jobs, but the cost will be offset by deleting others, Ludwig said.

"There will be some new ones, but they're also losing some so there's not much of a change," she said.

Bear Chaney, assessor, said his office will look to change some job duties, but he doesn't think the changes will create any new expenses. Chaney wants to add more oversight as part of the normal course of work, to make the office more efficient in advance of the 2016 appraisal.

"We'll have two sets of eyes look at everything," he said. "As far as asking for any money, I'm not aware of any. That will be up to Barb and the committee when they look at the job descriptions."

Tom Allen of District 4 is on the Personnel Committee and heads the Finance Committee. Allen thinks any added costs will be questioned.

"Whatever is presented we'll certainly take a look at it," he said. "We want all the elected officials' departments to function efficiently. But if it's going to cost more money it's going to be looked at very closely. We have told them in the past we're not in a position to be spending more money on personnel."

Barry Moehring of District 15 said he would like to have more time to consider the requests. Justices of the peace won't have much time to study the requests with the JESAP Committee meeting Monday and the Personnel Committee meeting Tuesday, he said.

"I've not seen anything on the agenda," Moehring said Friday. "I've not seen anything of substance. It is frustrating that we don't receive things in a more timely manner. I would rather get it right than get it fast. If there's going to be recommendations for new positions or significant reorganizations out of JESAP there should be sufficient time for all of the JPs, not just the members of the Personnel Committee, but the full Quorum Court, to consider them."