Commissioners approved a package of staffing and administrative requests and adopted personnel policy updates during the Dec. 31 meeting.

Juvenile services director James O'Donnell asked for permission to hire four staff for a new transition program (one case manager, two juvenile counselors). The board approved the request after the pick committee’s recommendation.

O'Donnell also requested permission to sign Lakeland Mental Health contracts for 2025. He said Lakeland provides a psychiatrist and psychologist to Clay County’s non‑secure evaluation program and requested a 2% contract increase; he cited the psychologist line at $26,757 per year. Commissioners discussed the overall cost of psychiatric services and then authorized signing the contracts.

Quinn Jagger presented three personnel requests: a six‑month extension for a temporary lead worker to complete onboarding of four new hires (the position is partly federally reimbursable), hiring a full‑time MN Choices reassessor for disability services (the new position’s approximate total cost was given as $93,104 and staff said the reassessor caseloads generate annual revenue of roughly $130,000–$135,000 across three current reassessors), and hiring one office support specialist (grade 10 step 1) budgeted for 2025 with a total cost of $72,843 and a net budget impact of $48,805 after 66% federal reimbursement to the child support portion. Commissioners questioned denial rates, interstate transfers, and workload; each staffing motion was moved, seconded and adopted by voice vote.

County Attorney Melton told the board of an assistant county attorney resignation (employee moving to the Twin Cities) and requested authority to fill the budgeted position; the board approved that request.

Acting HR Director Darren Brookle reviewed a rewritten sick‑leave/ESST (earned sick and safe time) section and other policy changes for 2025: permitting married couples who both work for the county to enroll on a single family plan, allowing elected officials to opt out of county benefits, an ESST incorporation that treats some leave as protected (with the ability to require documentation after three days), a weather‑event exception for emergency/critical positions to prevent inappropriate ESST use, clarified rules on use of county accounts and government employee discounts, and a brief pets‑at‑work clarification. Commissioners requested redline versions of the rewritten policies; the board approved the policy changes and asked staff follow up with redlined documents if needed.

Commissioners noted the new reassessor hire should be revenue‑neutral over time and that the office support hire helps free social workers for higher‑value tasks. Several commissioners encouraged continuing statewide advocacy on MN Choices assessment requirements and caseload rules. The personnel policy updates will be distributed to staff and managed through standard HR processes including MOUs with unions where required.