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Commission temporarily adds two county holidays for 2025; EAP reinstatement approved
Summary
After HR and department head input, commissioners approved the Friday after Thanksgiving and the Friday after Christmas as county holidays for 2025 and voted to reinstate the Village EAP for employee assistance; staff will model costs and return with policy language for 2026.
Walsh County commissioners on Nov. 18 approved two temporary holiday changes for 2025 and directed staff to analyze long-term policy impacts.
Tanya (HR) presented comparative county data and said department heads had requested the committee revisit the holiday schedule to aid recruitment and retention. Several commissioners and department heads supported granting the Friday after Thanksgiving, and some supported adding the Friday after Christmas as well; discussion noted the potential financial impact on 24/7 operations (dispatch, corrections, highway) and the need to quantify overtime/coverage costs.
After discussion about tradeoffs — commissioners referenced recent county health-insurance changes and the value of gesture-based holiday time — the commission voted to grant both the Friday after Thanksgiving and the Friday after Christmas as holidays for 2025 and asked HR to model costs and a permanent policy option for 2026.
Separately, HR sought authority to reinstate a previously used Employee Assistance Program (Village EAP) because staff reported that the current insurer-provided EAP (Fit) lacked the in-person and critical-incident capabilities of the Village program. Commissioners moved to return to Village EAP, the motion was seconded and carried; HR will finalize terms and report back with cost details.
Both items passed by roll-call votes recorded in the meeting.
Next steps include HR returning with fiscal impact estimates, draft policy language if commissioners wish to make the holidays permanent, and contract details for the Village EAP.
