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Pine County commissioners debate when two‑month backfill waiting period begins; consensus favors counting from last day of employment
Summary
Commissioners discussed whether a temporary two‑month hiring pause should begin at an employee's last day or when resignation is acknowledged by personnel committee; the board expressed consensus for starting the clock at the employee's last day and acknowledged use of waivers for critical roles.
Pine County commissioners discussed how to interpret a time‑limited, two‑month waiting period before hiring backfills and reached a working consensus to count the two months from an employee’s last day of employment rather than from the personnel committee acknowledgment.
County staff framed two options for when the two‑month clock should start. Under option 1 the clock would start when a resignation is acknowledged at the personnel committee and then by the county board; under option 2 the clock would start on the employee’s last day. Staff gave a case scenario: two‑week resignation on Sept. 10 with a final day of Sept. 24 would lead to different hiring timelines depending on which start point is used.
Kelly Schroeder, Pine County Auditor‑Treasurer, outlined the timeline differences and consequences, saying option 2 would allow recruitment to begin earlier in many cases. Commissioners discussed practical effects on units with time‑sensitive work, such as human resources during open enrollment and Health and Human Services and probation roles that require lengthy recruitment and training.
Several commissioners said they preferred option 2. Commissioner Roger Nelson described option 2 as closer to the policy’s original intent and supported having a waiver process for truly critical positions. Commissioner Steve (last name not specified in transcript) also signaled support for option 2, noting the policy’s purpose is to give the board pause and allow evaluation before committing to a replacement.
The personnel committee will continue implementing the two‑month policy with option 2 as the working approach and will use the waiver mechanism where departments demonstrate urgent operational need. Commissioners emphasized the policy was temporary (through the end of the calendar year) and subject to review.
Why it matters: the policy affects how quickly county departments can recruit replacements and therefore how programs are staffed during a period of constrained hiring. Commissioners noted that roles with long training cycles or time‑sensitive workloads could still qualify for waivers.
Ending: The board agreed on a working consensus for counting the two‑month wait from the employee’s last day; staff will bring waiver requests and backfill proposals forward to personnel committee and the board as needed.
