Okaloosa County BOCC — December 16, 2014 — Action Item Printout — reading text

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST DATE: December 16, 2014 TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board FROM: Larry Williams SUBJECT: New Staffing Plan for Okaloosa Extension DEPARTMENT: County Extension BCC DISTRICT: All STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Request approval to add one (1) County Extension Agent position to County Extension as part of a new cooperative staffing plan agreement between the University of Florida and Okaloosa and Walton counties. BACKGROUND: During the summer of 2014, Walton County had an open Agriculture Extension Agent position and Okaloosa County had an open Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension Agent position. A new cooperative staffing plan was discussed that involves the Agriculture Extension Agent position becoming a multicounty agent position for Walton/Okaloosa and the FCS Extension Agent position becoming a multicounty agent position for Okaloosa/Walton. There would be no additional cost in salary for Okaloosa or Walton with this change in that each county will be splitting the county portion of the 2 positions instead of providing 100% of the county portion of only one of these positions (as it was prior to the new staffing plan). For clarification, instead of a 60%/40% split (University/Okaloosa County) for one position, we would share 2 positions with a 60%/20%/20% split in funding (University/Okaloosa County/Walton County). Through an existing cooperative agreement with the University, health insurance, leave time, and most benefits are paid solely by the University. According to Okaloosa County Human Resources Policy, Chapter V - Classification Plan, Section F - Position Control: “All positions in the County are established and maintained through a budget each fiscal year in accordance with established budget and accounting procedures. The establishment of additional positions not approved through the budget process shall be coordinated through the Human Resources Department and will be accomplished at the discretion of the County Administrator upon approval of the Board. Changes to position allocations that do not result in an increase in the current approved budget of a department may be authorized by the County Administrator.” While this change in the staffing plan was discussed and conceptually approved in a July, 2014 meeting between County and University officials, the details were not transferred to the budget process for the Board’s approval. OPTIONS: Approve/Disapprove RECOMMENDATIONS: Approve adding one (1) County Extension Agent position to the Okaloosa County Extension department. RECOMMENDED BY: APPROVED BY: John Hofstad, County Administrator