Fulton County board approves HR benefit amendment and reclassifies Veterans director as full-time equivalent

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 25 accepted proposed changes to Section 212 of the county HR Manual and voted to treat Veterans Affairs Director Richard Newman as working the equivalent of a 30-hour week, qualifying him for full-time benefits. Commissioners said the change responds to added duties assigned by the state related to the Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption.

The board met with HR Administrator Mary Huston, who presented proposed amendments to the county’s employee benefits section; commissioners asked Huston to return with finalized language for formal approval at a later meeting. After discussion, Commissioner Wible moved to accept Huston’s proposal, and the motion passed unanimously.

Commissioner Hann moved to authorize Newman’s reclassification; the motion passed with all commissioners recorded as in favor. The minutes note the action is tied specifically to additional state-assigned responsibilities for administering the Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption and that the change establishes eligibility for county benefits based on a 30-hour work equivalency.

Next steps recorded in the minutes include formalizing HR Manual language for a future meeting and updating payroll/benefits records to reflect Newman’s status change.