The Union County Commissioners are reorganizing county staff.
“These changes reflect the recommendations of a study undertaken by the management consulting firm of Clemans Nelson and Associates Inc.,” according to a release from the commissioners’ office.
Commissioner Gary Lee said the commissioners met with a representative from the firm.
“We asked for scenarios that would make us more efficient and allow us to deliver better service,” Lee said.
Lee said that in addition to helping each position identify and perform essential functions, the new structure creates, “a more vertical chain of command for the office and to reduce the span of control of the county administrator.
Lee said the new chain of command shifts responsibilities and creates one new job.
Based on the recommendations, the commissioners have created the new assistant county administrator/budget officer. Officials said the position isn’t really a new position but, “a restructuring of the current executive assistant position.” The assistant county administrator will handle the day-to-day operations of administration. Lee said the commissioners wanted to make sure the county administrator is able to “focus on what are the most important expectations of the administrator.”
“It was clear, the administrator needs to be at high level, projects and economic development and not be tied down to the day to day and budget so much,” Lee said.
Letitia Rayl, who had been serving as executive assistant to the board/budget officer, was promoted to the position. The new position will pay $72,500 per year, an increase of about $15,000 for Rayl.
Until now, the executive assistant has performed some clerk duties and has served as the budget officer. With the shift, duties of the clerk have been eliminated from the assistant county administrator position.
The county administrator will oversee the assistant county administrator as well as the human services director, the economic development director and the human resources director.
The board clerk, the archivist, the facilities and safety director and the director of the Emergency Management Agency will all report to the assistant county administrator.
The position of Chief Operating Officer has been changed to Facilities and Safety Director. The position had that title until it was changed several years ago. Lee said chief operating officer does not really reflect what Randy Riffle, who holds the position, does daily.
“We are just going back to the title that reflects what his duties are,” Lee said.
The county also created a human resources assistant position to, “reflect the growing activities in this area.” Lee said some responsibilities will shift from Riffle’s position and from the human resource’s director position to the assistant position.
The commissioners passed the resolution to change the office structure at Thursday’s meeting. The changes will take effect immediately. Lee said the county has a “very talented staff.” He said some employees could be switching positions, but “most of those decisions haven’t been made yet.”
Lee said the county has hired an executive recruiting firm to help hire the new county administrator. The firm will meet with staff and county leadership to help “develop a profile of the administrator,” Lee said. He explained that if the commissioners look at the profile and believe they can identify a candidate, they can end the contract there. If not, the firm will recruit applicants for the position.