[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6306772,"mediaKeyId","2436642-69ce54ee51b071207566e4202a6e1453","parentId",2436642,"title","Committee hears Dept. of Corrections report: 54 probation vacancies, statewide caseload average 107 per officer; pay plan being drafted","audioSeconds",221,"startMs",785000,"endMs",1006000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436642-69ce54ee51b071207566e4202a6e1453&start=785&end=1006","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436642-69ce54ee51b071207566e4202a6e1453/thumbnail_785000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6306772/Arkansas/Committee-hears-Dept-of-Corrections-report-54-probation-vacancies-statewide-caseload-average-107-per-officer-pay-plan-being-drafted","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306772-4319f0ddfd4ad9aa1ff1000aa4a6c322/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186769&Signature=P0TCU-fVLuIFH8z4T3Y7VbFVnZ3Ccd~SAUh7Edi71AZJTG10t-XsfV-t2klil6BsXl-gTaLEHIhZ0u0DN9IUrFGEH0FMTkNU6KqwzeJzg2JhyySmVXvOrRTA3IFBQgblKqmcZZeqrnbnRqWZj1Kq65PHKMmRcFCI8z~bQHp8QnpbALgJeHF3ljMOxu3PtGlnZw2vu~go6rBS-QtPVAQSE5K36urbHWXSlQ890nkpC08Uzy187xK9XhQS6N498yfRCp5q82xoETGXnvREJNletUQdrCm2yZtiT3BILG04u~NbvUcfwEuzCkf0ChfxLqOGQhn25XY18WLitC0WC8iSGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arkansas Legislature","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","Committee members pressed the Department of Corrections’ Community Corrections staff about probation officer vacancies and caseloads, and received an update on the status of the governor’s pay plan.

A Department of Corrections representative told the committee, “Yes, sir. We're still having trouble filling some of the positions. I think we're currently, was it 54 positions down?” and later confirmed, “Yes, sir. We're currently 54 positions down.” The representative said the agency is budgeted for 503 positions and reported a statewide average caseload of about 107 probationers per officer.

Why it matters: high vacancy levels and elevated caseloads can affect supervision of people on probation; committee members asked about barriers to recruitment and retention and the status of a statewide pay plan intended to address compensation issues.

Committee members and agency staff discussed pay levels as a recruitment barrier. The Corrections representative said starting pay for probation officers is low and cited a starting salary of $32,405, adding that the agency is working on pay‑plan adjustments: “They're working on getting a salary up.”

Committee leadership asked Miss Barnhill from the governor’s office for the status of the pay plan. Miss Barnhill said, “It is currently being drafted. I think the finishing touches are going on it probably today or tomorrow and then we'll wait for it to be filed at that point in time.” Committee members noted prior delays in receiving the pay plan and requested timely filing and notification to the committee when it is submitted.

No formal action was taken; the exchange was part of the committee’s review of departmental reports.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","JBC- Personnel Committee Feb 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Department of Corrections Community Corrections told the committee it currently has about 54 vacancies in probation officer positions, an average statewide caseload of roughly 107 per officer, and that low starting pay is a factor; the governor’s pay plan is \"currently being drafted,\" a governor's office representative said.","taxTitle","JBC-PERSONNEL, JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE, Joint, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas","taxId",26344,"location","Arkansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6306777,"Committee approves two provisional ARPA-funded positions for Pulaski Technical College",430,400000,830000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436642-69ce54ee51b071207566e4202a6e1453&start=400&end=830","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436642-69ce54ee51b071207566e4202a6e1453/thumbnail_400000.jpg","/articles/6306777/Arkansas/Committee-approves-two-provisional-ARPA-funded-positions-for-Pulaski-Technical-College","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306777-babce8de3ceaf26aa3229ff105edda11/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186769&Signature=KOLL03RO6ICuGGh16zqHRBvuloHte9PU2ecRhNMgKJMRzoUIBtgdAfb1KSBtizXZBm2t23M1VgdsWTlvGc~4rA3YpIQHIM4O3I0441XLcYYTau20pGAUOcU63EqSvx7rLRzj7ahUi2TiYuwOwFDd95DC6qsVhzVs9MBh~PtUaYhcHvbPCOH-KxetsBIMAGI4fzKSqY~KDuS1ZEcg8vZEczpu9ACCyztH4Fvgbn5Q~5FeskBwmW2mKHOrh7mn9zEVi-nCjkDMhEDWeCUgwV6dxA6mgmNrqXQJu1BVM7QNPzdt9ARnoshkreinCmtbO88DLycwUAJGQk3XIOSZdvuc-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Personnel Committee approved two provisional positions requested by Pulaski Technical College and funded by ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant dollars, after a university representative explained titles, salary levels and paperwork discrepancies.

Melissa Rust, representing the University of Arkansas System, told the committee the request was for two provisional positions at Pulaski Technical College and that the campus had not completed the usual provisional‑position paperwork before submitting the appropriation packet to PEER. She said, “These positions are provisional.”

Why it matters: the positions are temporary and funded by federal ARPA grant money; the committee approved the job titles and salary lines, but members sought clarity on the grant’s total costs and what would happen to the positions when grant funding ends.

Staff described the item as an ARPA request that had appropriations and positions authorized through a PEER review the prior day, but noted the personnel committee’s role is to review the titles assigned to provisional positions. Melissa Rust said the document shown to the committee listed a $503,000 total for the project, and explained that amount covers the two positions, fringe benefits and salary for some faculty already employed at the campus. She said, “The $503,000 is money. It's ARPA funding through the hired grant that Pulaski Tech received and it does pay for those 2 positions and their fringe. And it also pays salaries of some faculty members that are currently employed at Pulaski Tech.”

Staff provided title and salary details for the two provisional positions: a project program specialist (line‑item maximum salary listed as $88,572; the actual salary to be paid is $56,000) and an admissions analyst (line‑item maximum $51,526; actual salary to be paid $40,000). Rust said the campus would provide additional information to the committee on whether ARPA funding replaces existing salary lines or supplements them.

Committee members asked that the campus provide a follow‑up letter clarifying what happens to the provisional positions and to the funded faculty salaries when the ARPA grant expires. The committee then voted to approve the titles and salaries as submitted; the motion passed by voice vote. The transcript does not record a roll‑call tally or named mover/second.","The committee approved two provisional positions funded by an ARPA grant for Pulaski Technical College after staff clarified the roles, salary levels and that the positions are temporary; the campus will provide a follow-up letter on funding termination contingencies.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6306780,"Personnel committee approves transfer of 16 positions to Department of Inspector General",303,131000,434000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436642-69ce54ee51b071207566e4202a6e1453&start=131&end=434","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436642-69ce54ee51b071207566e4202a6e1453/thumbnail_131000.jpg","/articles/6306780/Arkansas/Personnel-committee-approves-transfer-of-16-positions-to-Department-of-Inspector-General","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306780-406812f7874b6263b1a80453655d9efc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186769&Signature=UQC1hrhibYJY8neoOqBWhdYEM3uzT1XZgUhxfxbXKDGUhFyCg0aasq5WwyEVbjCNfU5hJuAf7yjkXprQlYA5VmHpX~xFdGWLgQ-yiM-KhpST~8oPQLHHDQboPlm~oiIIC7HIBle8gd2tep~gjZP0xhgJtSF1kEUMlj4XCaElkBNru0Sf1zkXd03MAxlfcdw6nL0C5PreMT~plJA8id8NsxNmdqQSD8AdKNC28X0sBOLTJt2idzje~C2hfK44KIIhjdsF6KTwcMHGLGk3SYXC3cjuozl4WEuSn33Iqq06QRUr4ZUvc-7qbBNgv9LJ8OUkRoYGg0Ble9w2EqPSoMuW~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Personnel Committee approved transferring 16 authorized positions from multiple state agencies to the Department of Inspector General, the committee chair announced during a brief meeting.

Committee staff member Tony Robinson described the package as related items B‑1 through B‑6 and said, “Items b 1 through b 6, committee members are all related. Items b 1 through 5 are positions leaving the agencies or departments they're currently in and going to the Department of Inspector General.”

Why it matters: the transfers consolidate audit and financial oversight roles under the Inspector General and change the authorized staffing totals in several departments. Committee members agreed to take two votes—one to approve the agencies’ release of positions and a second to approve the Inspector General’s receipt of those positions.

The transfers approved were described by staff as follows:
- Governor's Letter 5 (Department of Health): transfer of two positions (one assistant controller and one senior auditor), reducing the department’s authorized positions from 2,221 to 2,218.
- Governor's Letter 6 (Office of the Secretary, Department of Human Services): transfer of two positions (a DHS assistant director of quality assurance and a budget specialist), reducing total positions from 652 to 650 and reducing the operations appropriation by $64,000.
- Governor's Letter 8 (Division of Workforce Services, Department of Commerce): transfer of eight positions (one audit coordinator, four internal auditors, three senior auditors), reducing authorized positions from 627 to 619.
- Governor's Letter 9 (Department of Corrections shared services): transfer of two positions (including one internal auditor), reducing the division’s authorized positions from 216 to 214.
- Governor's Letter 10 (Department of Education): transfer of one fiscal division manager position, reducing authorized positions from 89 to 88.
- Governor's Letter 11 (Department of Inspector General): receiving the 15 positions above plus one position from the Lottery Commission, for a total of 16 positions added to the Inspector General’s appropriation for regular salaries, matching, and maintenance and operations.

Committee members had no further questions before taking the votes. The committee first voted to approve the giving agencies’ release of the positions; the motion passed. The committee then voted to approve the Department of Inspector General’s receipt of the positions; that motion also passed. Committee records did not record a roll-call tally or named movers in the transcript.

After the votes, the chair asked staff to notify the governor’s office that the committee had complied with the governor’s request.","The committee approved moving 16 authorized positions from six state agencies into the Department of Inspector General, consolidating audit and finance roles across state government; members took two votes—one approving agencies to give up positions and a second approving the Inspector General to receive them.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears Dept. of Corrections report: 54 probation vacancies, statewide caseload average 107 per officer; pay plan being drafted

Committee approves two provisional ARPA-funded positions for Pulaski Technical College

Personnel committee approves transfer of 16 positions to Department of Inspector General