Johnson County supervisors on Aug. 13 accepted the bulk of human resources'recommendations from this year's nonbargaining job reevaluation process, approving a set of pay-grade adjustments and directing HR to work with department leaders to finalize revised job descriptions for implementation.

The board heard nine appeals during a multi-hour session that followed public comments, then took a series of votes and head-nods accepting most HR recommendations while asking departments and HR to finish rewritten job descriptions promptly so the county's planned market compensation study can proceed. Several specific pay-grade changes and title adjustments were explicitly recorded in the meeting.

Why it matters: The reevaluation process affects internal pay equity, job titles and long-term salary trajectories for affected employees countywide. Supervisors and HR repeatedly emphasized that the review is intended to evaluate positions, not individual performance, and that some decisions will be revisited in broader market compensation work already budgeted for fiscal 2026.

What the board decided (highlights):
- Assistant maintenance superintendent (real estate/maintenance-related posting): HR recommended and supervisors accepted a pay-grade upgrade (from grade 10 to grade 12); no title change. The board directed HR to finalize the revised job description.
- Elections outreach and poll-worker position: Supervisors approved HR'recommended upgrade from pay grade 4 to grade 6 and approved a title change from clerk to coordinator; because the incumbent fell below the new range the change would move that incumbent to the minimum of the new pay grade.
- Board-office administrative assistant: HR recommended lowering the pay grade (from 7 to 6) and adjusting the title; the board accepted the pay-grade recommendation by roll call, 3'to'2, after discussion about internal equity and morale. Supervisors said they expect HR and the office to follow the same procedures for filling or re-evaluating the job if it becomes vacant.
- Special projects manager (board office): Supervisors approved HR'recommended increase from grade 12 to grade 13; no compensation change for the incumbent was required because the person already fell within the new range.
- Emergency preparedness planner: HR recommended a lower grade (9 to 8); the board accepted that recommendation by a 3'to'2 vote.
- Public health positions: the board and HR negotiated title and grade items for multiple public-health positions (examples: chronic-disease prevention specialist, health educator & assistant). Supervisors asked HR and Public Health to reconcile proposed titles and return with agreed wording for tomorrow's agenda and to make sure any title decisions align with grant eligibility and program needs.
- Health planner (public health): the board accepted HR'recommended reclassification from pay grade 8 to 7; supervisors also directed that if supervisory responsibilities (for example, oversight of contact tracers) are added back in the future the position will be re-evaluated.

Process and next steps: Supervisors instructed HR to finalize revised job descriptions and return them for formal consideration at the next meeting. HR said revised job descriptions must be completed promptly (they set a 60'day maximum) because the county's fiscal-year 2026 market compensation study will require current job descriptions. The board also asked that liaison supervisors follow up with department heads to ensure changes are implemented and documented.

Quotes:
"When we go through the process, it is absolutely about the position, not about the person," HR Director Lindsay Jones told the board when she reviewed the procedural steps the HR team used to score positions.
"I will never support a downgrade," Supervisor Fixmerize said during debate, adding that morale and retention should factor into compensation decisions.

Ending: Supervisors emphasized that the compensation-study consultant work already budgeted for FY2026 will revisit job classifications and pay equity countywide; meanwhile HR will implement the board'directed changes and deliver finalized job descriptions for the board's formal vote.