The Lake County Board voted to approve a $108,340 contract with Carter Development Group LLC to conduct an employee engagement and organizational assessment in the County Administrator's Office, a proposal supporters said is intended to help the county become a more inclusive employer.

Proponents said the assessment is part of the county’s strategic plan to be an employer of choice and to identify operational changes that make employees feel they belong. “The nature of this contract is to review our policies and procedures and operations to ensure that all employees feel as if they belong,” a county staff member stated during the meeting.

Opponents criticized the use of the phrase “diversity, equity and inclusion” and said the county should not spend the funds amid concerns about federal guidance and legal risk. “I can’t support that,” Member Kevin Hunter said during debate, calling federal DEI programs wasteful and urging the board to avoid funding similarly labeled initiatives.

The board’s vote followed nearly two hours of discussion in which members exchanged views about workplace culture, recruitment and legal exposure. Supporters described the expenditure as an investment in retention and workplace improvements, with Vice Chair Mary Ross Cunningham saying the county has “come a long ways” and that the investment would help sustain recent progress in hiring and retaining diverse staff.

The motion was made by Member Roberts and seconded by Vice Chair Cunningham. A roll call recorded 16 ayes and 3 nays (Danforth, Hunter and Peterson). The resolution authorizes the contract and a related line-item transfer in the County Administrator’s Office; the contract amount was stated in the resolution as $108,340.

County officials said the assessment will review policies and operations, identify barriers to inclusion and recommend actions to improve recruitment and retention. The board did not adopt specific policy mandates during the vote; rather, it authorized the vendor engagement and asked staff to proceed with the assessment.

The board discussion included requests for clarity about legal risk and whether the county’s human resources office had been consulted; members said staff would continue to engage department leaders as the assessment proceeds. The resolution passed and the county will proceed with the vendor engagement under the terms and budget approved.