Richland County approves personnel changes, a $100 monthly rate increase at county facility; one commissioner questions executive-session handling

Richland County commissioners on Feb. 12 approved a bundle of personnel and operational changes for county facilities, including new job-description updates, authorization to advertise for an assistant director of nursing, a $100-per-month increase in resident rates effective May 1 and appointment of the current administrative assistant to office manager effective May 1.

The chair presented four procedural items as a single motion: revise the office manager and operations manager job descriptions (no pay change), advertise for an assistant director of nursing at pay grade 13, raise resident rates by $100 per month starting May 1, and appoint the administrative assistant to office manager effective May 1. The board moved, seconded and voted to approve the package.

Commissioner Carl — participating remotely — said he was concerned the $100-per-month increase had been discussed during executive session rather than in public. The chair and other commissioners responded that the rate discussion arose in the context of compensation for the proposed assistant director of nursing and stressed rates had not been raised since 2012.

At the same meeting the board also approved routine items including certification of the Feb. 10 minutes, approval of requisitions and weekly transfer and appropriation requests, and certified the 2025 County Highway System mileage at 347.545 miles (no change from 2024). The board recessed around 9:52 p.m. and approved entering executive session to discuss the employment of a public employee before returning to approve the personnel package.

The motions were adopted by recorded or voice vote; commissioners recorded as voting yes on the motion items included Commissioners Mears, Banks and Vero.