Board debates replacing temporary door greeter with full-time admin and adding grant-writing to communications role

Goodhue County commissioners spent substantial time on Sept. 17 discussing two personnel items: replacing a temporary door greeter at the government center’s lower-level entrance with a full-time Central Services administrative assistant, and a vacancy in the outreach and communications specialist position with a proposed addition of grant-writing duties.

Tim, a department presenter, said the lower-level greeter position began as a temporary role during the pandemic to manage a single primary entrance and that performance and consistency varied among temporary staff. He told commissioners the request is to discontinue use of temporary staff and create a full-time Central Services administrative assistant who would act as a receptionist and provide routine complex administrative support; the packet included a salary grade and a range presented for the position.

Commissioners issued mixed views. One commissioner described daily interactions with the greeter and said the position reduced visitor confusion across the county campus; another questioned whether the county should add headcount and stressed productivity concerns. Staff and commissioners discussed that the temporary role has sometimes handled payments dropped at the lower-level counter, and one staff member raised financial-security concerns about temporary employees handling cash and recommended hiring a county employee subject to background checks.

On the communications vacancy, personnel staff said minimal job-description changes are proposed and that there is “willingness to potentially add some grant writing into the job duties.” Commissioners asked for a clearer allocation and examples from other counties; staff agreed to include grant-writing as part of the duties and indicated HR would post the position. The presenter said a 15% maximum allocation for grant-writing would be reasonable to include in the job posting.

Commissioners also cited budget context, noting audited staffing ratios (about 7.4 FTEs per 1,000 residents as presented) and the need to consider long-term budget impacts and grant-versus-levy funding options when evaluating new positions. No board vote to hire was recorded; the discussion directed staff to refine job duties, include a grant-writing percentage in the communications posting (up to 15%), and proceed with HR posting for the outreach/communications vacancy.