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County HR reports stable staffing metrics and flags employer health-plan cost pressures
Summary
Human resources presented monthly staffing numbers and training activities and described employer-cost trends for the state health plan, including a projected 8.32% plan-year increase that will affect budgets; staff agreed to present dollar/percent comparisons for clearer budgeting.
Elizabeth Ward, Raleigh County human resources director, told commissioners that the county’s head count sits at 286 with three hires in February and zero separations, an annualized turnover rate of about 9.09% and an average tenure near 9.8 years.
Ward described several workforce initiatives adopted from a "Highly Effective Managers" program, including all-staff exercises and one-on-one "blind-spot" conversations intended to improve communication and retention. She said the appraiser’s office has applied the program in commercial and residential teams to strengthen teamwork.
On insurance, Ward and colleagues reviewed employer costs under the state employer health plan and said the county has seen plan-year increases: 4.5% (2020), 2.38% (2021), 5% (2022), 7.5% (2023), 5% (2024), 7.5% (2025) and a projected 8.32% for the 2026 plan year; she presented the cumulative figure as about 40.82% since 2020. Ward emphasized that the county participates in the state plan and has limited control over negotiated increases, though county staff sit on advisory groups and can provide input.
Commissioners asked for clearer dollar-and-percent breakdowns to see how premium changes translate into employee withholdings and employer costs; Ward agreed to provide a plan-specific spreadsheet showing dollars and percentages for one representative employee plan.
Ward reported HR metrics the commission requested: average time-to-fill about 14 days, 19 interviews conducted in the period referenced, 9 onboarding events, and 17 compliance events. She also noted four current job openings (HR, elections, public works and EMS) and ongoing work on performance and supervisory training.
No formal action was taken; commissioners recognized the need to incorporate projected insurance changes into upcoming budget work.
