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Osage County commissioners review payroll calendar, delay final decision during ADP transition
Summary
County commissioners discussed aligning payroll cycles as the county moves to ADP payroll services, weighing options to reduce duplicate work and monthly manual corrections. No formal change was approved; staff were directed to consult department heads and return with options.
On Feb. 4, 2025, the Osage County Board of Commissioners discussed proposals to change the county payroll calendar while the county onboards ADP payroll services, but took no final action and asked staff to consult department heads before deciding.
The commissioners spent more than an hour reviewing the practical effects of two systems running on different pay cycles: the sheriff’s office currently runs a 1st-to-end-of-month pay period, while most other county departments use a 21st-to-20th cycle. Commissioners and staff said the mismatch has created manual adjustments for pension reporting (KPERS), instances in which employees were paid for days they had not yet worked, and extra time spent reconciling payroll. County leaders discussed options including moving the county payroll to a 1st-to-end-of-month cycle to match the sheriff, setting a county pay date near the 5th or the 10th, or temporarily issuing a one‑time bridging paycheck when the calendar is changed so employees do not miss scheduled withdrawals.
Why it matters: The payroll calendar affects every county employee’s direct deposit timing and recurring bill payments, the county’s payroll processing workload, and statutory reporting such as KPERS. Commissioners said the change could reduce recurring manual fixes but acknowledged it will require coordination with employee banks, the sheriff’s office and the county’s new ADP vendor.
Commissioners and staff outlined practical tradeoffs. County staff said switching to a 1st-to-end-of-month cycle would align elected officials and contract employees but would shift many hourly employees’ pay dates and could force some employees to change bill-payment dates. The board discussed three mitigation options: (1) advance a single transitional paycheck to bridge the change, (2) shift the approval meeting that authorizes payroll so the commission can approve payroll before pay dates, or (3) choose a pay date (for example, the 5th or the 10th) that provides additional processing days after cutoff to avoid last-minute corrections. Commissioners noted that third-party payroll vendors have set turnaround times and that each option has operational consequences for the clerk’s office and department heads.
No formal vote was taken to change the pay calendar. Instead, commissioners directed the clerk’s office and staff to continue ADP onboarding discussions with department heads, assess the vendor’s turnaround times, and report back with a recommended payroll calendar and a plan for one-time transitional pay handling. Staff also agreed to solicit and document department-head feedback on potential hardship scenarios (for example, employees with mortgage payments due on the 1st).
The commissioners also discussed related items — including whether payroll approvals can reliably be placed on a commission meeting agenda before deposit dates — and agreed that any change must include a clear implementation plan and advance notice to employees.
Ending: Commissioners said they expect a more detailed recommendation in the coming weeks after staff complete ADP onboarding checks and finish consultation with department heads. No binding calendar change or effective date was set at the Feb. 4 meeting.
