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Riley County to recruit permanent public information officer; temporary coverage plan outlined
Summary
Human Resources briefed the commission on the public information officer (PIO) position, recommended filling the vacancy, and commissioners directed staff to start recruitment while arranging interim coverage and a possible MOU for shared coverage with city partners.
Elizabeth Ward, Riley County Human Resources Director (speaker 15), told commissioners that the PIO position description dates to 2020 and was written before the county had a PIO. Ward recommended hiring to restore day-to-day operations that a single-person PIO handled and outlined interim coverage options, including county clerk oversight, IT support and possible memoranda of understanding with partner agencies.
Ward said the position includes operational duties (website upkeep, livestream scheduling) that had expanded and that the county should determine who will perform routine tasks during recruitment. She suggested pausing website-change training until a permanent PIO is hired and recommended the county consider emergency-management staff support for urgent messaging if needed.
Commissioners asked HR to proceed with the hiring process and indicated they expect a recruitment timeline of roughly four to six weeks for advertising and interviews; HR said she would bring a Personnel Action Form to the next meeting for signatures.
Why this matters: The PIO handles public communications that affect transparency, emergency messaging, and the county's web presence. Commissioners endorsed recruitment and directed staff to arrange interim operational support and consider an MOU for shared responsibilities with city partners.
Next steps: HR will prepare the PAF and start recruitment; interim coverage and an MOU with partner agencies will be explored.
