Board formalizes Board of Equalization and approves updated personnel policies

The Scotland County Board of Commissioners voted March 10 to adopt a refreshed resolution establishing the county’s Board of Equalization and Review and to approve a package of personnel policy updates developed with department heads and the policy committee.

April S. Hart, county manager, and Human Resources staff presented the updates. The resolution reestablishes the Board of Equalization and Review that handles local tax appeals and preserves the same appointment process and structure used in prior resolutions, a staff member said. Commissioners were told one commissioner also serves on that board by longstanding practice.

The personnel package included four items: a new work schedule policy that provides consistent guidelines and flexibility for department heads while exempting public safety schedules; an updated IT Acceptable Use Policy revised to incorporate a change in state law and to require staff acknowledgment of the IT rules; a revised bereavement leave policy that allows more flexibility in scheduling bereavement time; and a clarified holidays policy that formalizes banked holiday procedures for departments (for example, the landfill) that must operate on county holidays.

Human Resources staff said the IT policy change reflects a recent general statute and that the policy now quotes part of the statute. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about inclement weather decisions and were told the county manager makes decisions about altered office hours during inclement weather.

A motion to adopt the resolution and to approve the personnel policies passed by voice vote (all in favor).