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Legislative Council plans 25 staff additions; office-space timing uncertain after veto
Summary
Legislative Council Director John Bjornson told the Leadership Division the council will add policy analysts, program-evaluation staff, IT and editing positions but that remodel and access to the 15th floor remain uncertain after a veto removed a set-aside; hiring will proceed while space options are finalized.
John Bjornson, director of the Legislative Council, told the Leadership Division the office will add about 25 positions over the coming months to expand policy analysis, program evaluation, IT and editorial capacity.
“We will be adding program evaluation staff,” Bjornson said, describing hires that will include policy analysts, an attorney, fiscal analysts, additional developers, testers, administrative support and editors. He said the first hires will focus on policy analysts and an attorney so the new staff can participate in interim studies before the next session.
Bjornson said the council is at physical capacity in its current offices and that a provision in the appropriation that would have reserved the 15th floor for Legislative Council use was vetoed. Facilities staff have told the council some of that floor could be made available, but Bjornson said there is no confirmed schedule. “We have no set time frame,” he said. “My guess is it's probably going to be very late in the year, unfortunately.”
He described the 15th-floor west-side conference room as large and useful but noted it and other parts of the floor need renovation before staff could be moved. Bjornson said temporary accommodations will include smaller conference and break rooms and that Legislative Council has agreed to let the agriculture department use two rooms while the 14th floor is remodeled.
Members asked about conference-room sharing and whether executive-branch agencies could use rooms the council currently holds; Bjornson said the council will try to share space when possible but that training, committee support and interim collaboration require contiguous workspaces for new hires.
No formal committee action was required or taken. Bjornson said hiring will proceed in groups to allow coordinated training and reduce onboarding overhead; the first group of positions becomes effective July 1 under the enacted appropriation.
