Finance director proposes a menu of cost-savings measures; county to investigate vacation-accrual change and other efficiencies

Kathy Frank Baxter, the county finance director, presented several cost-saving ideas discussed at a recent retreat and asked commissioners to authorize preliminary investigations into their feasibility. The suggestions included asking departments to pursue vendor prompt-payment discounts, consolidating copier and printer contracts and right-sizing equipment, and limiting travel and training for the current biennium to positions that require certification. "I'm recommending that we ask all departments to try and investigate implementing [vendor prompt-pay discounts]," Baxter said, noting some vendors already participated in early-payment discounts and that departments should report which vendors they approach. She said consolidating copier contracts and reviewing machine utilization could reduce costs and that purchasing would lead that work. Baxter said preliminary estimates show potential reductions if the county limits travel and training and cuts discretionary expenditures, with an initial estimate of about $100,000 from travel and another possible $100,000 from training reductions. She recommended starting investigations now and bringing details back to the board for consideration. One proposal drew more detailed discussion: changing how "bonus" or extra vacation hours are credited. Currently, the county awards a lump-sum accrual on an anniversary date, which some staff report creates a situation where employees take large blocks of vacation shortly after the lump drop or where departments face large termination payouts when employees leave. Savannah Clement of Public Services described the problem: termination payouts can be significant and unbudgeted, and spreading accrual monthly could reduce large lump payouts and make usage more predictable. "When we do termination payouts… it can be I've done a $29,000 payout before, which is, of course, unbudgeted," Clement said. Baxter and HR staff emphasized they are not recommending elimination of benefits but rather studying whether spreading bonus hours monthly or adjusting caps could reduce unbudgeted termination costs and better support scheduling. "We're not taking away benefit. We're just allocating it differently," a commissioner summarized. The board directed staff to investigate the accrual-change option, review any bargaining-unit impacts, and report back; no contract or policy change was adopted at the meeting. Baxter said budgets are due Aug. 11 and that she will return with more detailed analyses and potential policy or bargaining implications for commissioner consideration during the budget process.