Pine County board approves job reclassifications, authorizes recruitment for auditor-treasurer and environmental services manager

The Pine County Board of Commissioners approved a slate of revised job descriptions and authorized targeted recruitment for two department head positions, the board said at a meeting where members emphasized that the changes do not increase total county headcount. The board voted to authorize internal and external recruitment for an auditor‑treasurer and an environmental services manager and approved other reclassifications across administrative and technical positions.

The action formalizes multiple job‑title and reporting changes proposed in a personnel committee report that reclassifies positions (including retitling information technology and human resources manager roles to director level) and changes some grade levels. The county said the changes align titles and duties with market norms while keeping incumbents in place where applicable.

County Administrator Gabe Minkie presented the restructuring package and detailed the items recommended by the personnel committee, including an updated auditor‑treasurer job description (grade 18), an assessor‑recorder reporting change to the county administrator, a retitled environmental services manager position that adds cannabis zoning duties and removes GIS responsibilities, and a fiscal officer job description for a grade 10 position. Minkie said there are no net new positions in the plan.

Discussion during the meeting reiterated that the reorganizations were intended to align job titles with peer counties, preserve total staff levels and clarify reporting relationships. Commissioner Ludwig moved to adopt the personnel committee recommendations, and the motion passed after a second and a voice vote approving the package.

Later in the meeting the board addressed who should participate in hiring the auditor‑treasurer. The board considered two options: delegate interview responsibilities to the personnel committee or include the full board. After debate about ensuring broad representation—given that the auditor‑treasurer was previously an elected office—the board voted to involve the full board in the interview process for finalists, with human resources to screen applicants and propose a shortlist for interviews. Human resources staff said they would schedule interview dates in advance so commissioners could plan to attend.

The board also directed the human resources manager to complete memorandums of agreement with the exclusive representative as needed to implement the role changes. Commissioners repeatedly noted that the reorganizations arose from recent administrative changes and an opportunity to reconsider duties and grades after turnover in several departments. No salary increases beyond those indicated in the revised grade structures were approved in the meeting.

The personnel changes take effect following the recruitment process for the two specified positions and after necessary memoranda with the exclusive representative are finalized.