Cowlitz County auditor seeks new licensing/recording classification and certification pay incentive; commissioners ask to review during personnel workshop

Jessica Warren, human resources director, and Carolyn (Auditor) presented a staffing reclassification and targeted salary incentive for the auditor's licensing and recording staff. The proposal would retitle certain deputy‑auditor positions to "licensing and recording specialist" (including a specialist‑3 lead grade) and provide a 5% salary increase to employees who attain two years of service and complete recording certification.

Auditor Carolyn explained the change reflects the combined licensing and recording duties since 2006 and the specialized work required to handle, preserve and accurately record historical documents. Jessica Warren said the 5% increase would be paid from the auditor's O&M fund, a restricted account used for records preservation and software maintenance; staff said the fund balance is sufficient to cover the modest increase and that the proposal would not impact the general fund.

Commissioners and other elected officials raised concerns about cross‑department effects and consistency: Treasurer Deborah Gardner and at least one commissioner noted that front‑office staff in other offices may request similar treatment and asked why the request was not routed through the standard budget process. Jessica Warren and Carolyn said the union vetting and timing disaligned with the formal budget calendar and that some groundwork (including union discussions and approvals) is already complete.

The board agreed to add the item to a personnel/budget workshop scheduled next week so treasurer's office representatives and others can comment and county staff can incorporate the request into the budgetary review process. No final reclassification or pay change was enacted at the session.

Ending

Staff said they will add the reclassification and funding details to next week's personnel workshop and will provide the revised policy language and an implementation timeline for commissioners to review.