Minutes - 19990421 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Brown asked if the Personnel Department was anticipating that the Exceptional Award would go to 15-20% of the County's employees. Elaine Holmes said the budget was based on about 5-7% of employees being at the exceptional level. Commissioner Brown asked about the 401(k) plan and asked if this was supposed to be matching. She and Commissioner Halkiotis said that they remember that this was matching. John Link reminded them that they discussed the difficulty of certain levels of employees being able to provide matching funds. Elaine Holmes said that the plan was presented at the October 1998 work session as a match and the Board discussed the pros and cons. She remembers one of the cons discussed was the impact on the lower salaried employees. Chair Gordon said she remembers the Board deciding on a fixed amount for the 401(k) plan. John Link said that they would take the original proposal and come back with the same alternatives, speaking to what is allowed. Chair Gordon asked what information the Board wants on the 401(k) plan. Commissioner Halkiotis feels something needs to be done for the lower salaried employees. He wants to know who has plans out there. He would like to do more for the lower salaried employees than for those on the upper end. He would like to revisit this issue. John Link said that they would provide additional information on the 401(k) plan, giving all the possible options, and try to work within the budget for this item. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the staff would come back on this issue with the same pool of money, or will the appropriation need to be increased. John Link said they would begin with the amount that is in the plan at this time. Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to the October 1998 report on page 64 and the Survey of Area Governments. He noted that Alamance County, Durham County, and the Town of Hillsborough did not have a match for their 401(k) plans. Commissioner Brown said that she would like for the Board of County Commissioners to look annually at the living wage and see how it could be increased. She asked if next year the Board could look at a menu of benefits which gives a choice of benefits for the employees, such as a cafeteria plan. She also asked about the Equity Retention Fund, which is to be used to address employees not going through the advancement steps fast enough. John Link said there have been instances where employees have not moved up or have jumped ahead for whatever reason. Commissioner Brown asked if John Link could provide a report on how the Equity Retention Fund works. Chair Gordon said that the $25,000 appropriated for this would not go very far. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he thinks $25,000 is a good base amount for this fund. The Board agreed to leave the Equity Retention Fund at $25,000. Commissioner Jacobs suggested that when area employers are included, that OWASA's benefits be listed. He thinks they have a very generous plan, and he would like to see how Orange County's benefits compares to OWASA's. A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Brown to confirm the Employee Pay and Benefits components planned for 1999-2000 and implement the policy details, with exceptions as noted. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2. 1999-2000 Proposed Board of Commissioners' Goals and Objectives The Board discussed the remainder of the proposed Goals and Objectives for 1999- 2000.