Council amends temporary hiring‑freeze exemption list to add two positions

The Monroe County Council amended its temporary hiring‑freeze exemption resolution to include two positions that staff said were inadvertently omitted from the original list.

What changed: The council added a part‑time prosecutor hourly position and a full‑time jail corrections officer to the exemption list for the freeze. Staff said the corrections officer had already been extended an offer; the prosecutor position reflected an in‑house reclassification or clerical move.

Why it matters: Departments explained the narrow need for the exemptions — collections and other seasonal duties in the treasurer’s office, poll worker seasonal hires, and preexisting offers for corrections staffing. Council staff reminded departments that the process for exemption requires submitting an email request to the council office so the request can be vetted and placed on the agenda.

What staff said: The auditor’s office and council staff described the process for exemptions and offered to work with department liaisons to streamline requests for seasonal or temporary hires (for example, election poll workers and treasurer collections staff). Several councilors urged clearer communication and agreed to work with department heads to refine the process.

Outcome: The council approved the amended exemption list by unanimous vote and directed staff to continue clarifying processes for seasonal, temporary and part‑time hires under the freeze.