Commissioners approve HR manual change and grant Veteran Affairs director full-time benefits

Fulton County Commissioners on Nov. 25 approved a proposal from HR Administrator Mary Huston to amend Section 212, "Employee Benefits," of the county HR manual and voted to designate Veteran Affairs Director Richard Newman as effectively full-time for benefits purposes.

Huston presented the proposed changes during a post-executive-session HR discussion. Commissioner Steven L. Wible moved to accept Huston's proposal and the board voted unanimously to approve the change. The minutes state the commissioners asked Huston to return with formal language for official adoption at a later meeting.

The board separately approved a motion by Commissioner Hervey P. Hann to allow Veteran Affairs Director Richard Newman to work the equivalent of 30 hours per week and to qualify him for full-time benefits. The change was justified in the minutes by "additional duties assigned by the state for the Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption." The motion carried with all commissioners voting in favor.

The action gives the county authority to apply benefit entitlements for Director Newman while the Commissioners directed staff to provide finalized HR manual wording at a future meeting. The minutes do not specify an effective date beyond the decision on Nov. 25, 2025.

Officials at the meeting identified Mary Huston as HR Administrator and Richard Newman as Veteran Affairs Director; no other details about benefit levels or the cost impact to county budgets were provided in the minutes.

The board adjourned routine HR business with the instruction that Huston return with revised manual language for formal adoption.