The Columbia County Board of Commissioners on July 16 approved two personnel reclassifications requested by Human Resources Director Carrie Garcia: raising the Community Justice director position from salary grade EO7 to EO8, and reclassifying an HR technician position to an administrative assistant (part time, 24 hours per week).

Garcia said the Community Justice director oversees two divisions and that the EO8 reclassification aligns the position with other county department heads and with comparable positions in other counties. “Because the position does oversee two divisions, based on the level of responsibility and consistency across the state and other counties, we do feel that that needs to be consistent with the other department heads within the county, at an EO8 position or grade,” Garcia said. She said the change was included in the approved budget and would have minimal impact on the general fund and that the position remains subject to furloughs.

Garcia described the HR technician role as a shared position with Emergency Management, noting much time is spent on emergency management work; the county has been paying the position out of class and the reclassification aligns pay with duties. “It is in the HR budget and the emergency management budget,” Garcia said. She added the position is budgeted as a part-time role at 24 hours per week.

Commissioners moved and approved both reclassifications by voice vote at the meeting. The board gave staff direction to effect the reclassifications per the county’s human resources policies.