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Raleigh County commissioners map plan to create administrative services role amid debate over authority and timeline
Summary
Commissioners discussed creating an administrative/administrative-services position to coordinate day-to-day operations and handle administrative duties; department heads sought input into the job description and warned of budget and reporting implications. The board asked staff to compile job-description examples and consider including the position in the 2027 budget.
Commissioners at a March 5 work session discussed establishing a new administrative services role to coordinate day-to-day county operations, with debate focused on whether the position would be an advisory coordinator or a department head with hiring and supervisory authority.
The discussion began after department heads asked to be involved in the design of any new position. David Adams, EMS ambulance and emergency services director, said department leaders want clarity on whether the new hire would be a department head or an administrator and on where department heads would report. "Depending on which way you go, where will department heads report?" Adams said, urging the commission to define reporting relationships and the hiring timeline.
Commissioners and department heads differed on authority. Some commissioners described the role as a coordinator who would not replace department-head reporting lines; others said state statutes and governance norms may require making the position a formal department head to grant direct supervisory authority. "If you're going to have authority over a specific individual, typically that person is a department head," a county counsel representative explained during the session.
Corey Meyer, IT and GIS director, asked which functions would be included in administrative services—HR, finance, public information—and whether hiring would be handled internally through HR or require an external search firm if internal recruitment fails. "HR would be integral in developing the job description and would lead hiring internally; if we can't find anyone, we may use a search firm," Meyer said.
Department heads proposed a small work group to synthesize input before a public work session. Four representatives—Corey Meyer (IT/GIS), John Hellerman (public works), Shiloh Hager (treasurer) and David Adams—offered to consolidate feedback from broader department-head meetings so the commission could receive a focused draft job description.
Commissioners signaled interest in funding the position in the 2027 budget but flagged the commission’s goal to keep levy and expenses constrained. Britney Phillips in budget and finance agreed to coordinate budgeting but said any new position would require a salary and benefit estimate before formal approval.
Next steps the commission identified included collecting job-description examples from comparable counties, drafting a position description with input from the nominated work group and legally vetting the reporting structure. Commissioners directed staff to prepare draft job descriptions and budget implications for a future work session and to return with options the board can refine in public meeting.
The work session concluded without a final vote; commissioners said they expect additional staff work and public drafts before adopting any personnel changes.
