Osage County approves $28,000 one-time stipend for county clerk, schedules review of HR duties

Osage County Commissioners voted to approve a one-time $28,000 stipend for County Clerk Michelle Morse to cover additional human-resources activities performed during fiscal year 2025. The vote came after more than an hour of discussion about the scope of HR work that has accumulated in the clerk’s office and whether the county should restore a distinct HR position or otherwise reorganize administrative duties.

The motion, presented at the commission’s Sept. 2 meeting, specified that the $28,000 would be paid in monthly installments as a supplement to Morse’s base pay and that the funds would be drawn from the county’s HR budget for 2025. Commissioners moved and seconded a resolution labeled in discussion as Resolution 2025-21; the motion carried by voice vote (majority in favor).

Commissioners and staff described the stipend as back pay and a stopgap. Several commissioners said the stipend was intended to compensate Morse for extra hours and duties that arose after previous staffing changes and vacancies in payroll and HR positions. Commissioners also agreed to spend the next three months developing a plan for how HR duties should be handled going forward — whether by funding a part-time HR director, moving functions into the clerk’s office with additional staff, or contracting for some services.

The discussion reviewed what Morse and the clerk’s office have been doing beyond statutory clerk duties: managing payroll, benefits enrollments, on-boarding, handling employee complaints, and other personnel-related tasks. Commissioners noted a prior budget line intended for a part-time HR director and said that money could be repurposed or used to hire staff if the commission chooses to shift the responsibilities permanently.

During debate commissioners emphasized the workload burden on the clerk’s office following staff turnover and said the stipend was intended both to recognize past extra work and to buy time while the commission decides a sustainable staffing model. Commissioners instructed staff to return with specific options and cost estimates at upcoming meetings so the commission could decide how to structure HR work for 2026.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 2025-21 — One-time stipend of $28,000 for additional HR activities performed by County Clerk Michelle Morse during fiscal 2025; to be paid in monthly installments from the HR fund. Outcome: approved (voice vote; majority). Note: motion language and fund source were recorded during the meeting.

Context and next steps

Commissioners asked staff to produce a written plan and budget figures for the next meeting cycle covering at least three options: leave HR duties in the clerk’s office and fund additional staff; re-establish a separate HR director position; or pursue a hybrid approach with contractors for specialized services such as benefits administration. The commission agreed the stipend addresses prior work already performed and will not substitute for a longer-term personnel plan.

Ending

The commission scheduled follow-up discussion in coming weeks and said it expects concrete staffing and budget proposals before the end of the year. The motion to approve the stipend closed a contentious item that several commissioners called overdue and others said required clearer long-term organization.