Board approves updated compensation plan for elected and appointed department heads

Human Resources Director Zach O'Han and Program Manager Catherine Lorenzo briefed the board on an updated compensation plan for elected and appointed department heads covering Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2026. Lorenzo outlined several key changes: an increased employer health‑insurance contribution, a change to how longevity pay is calculated (now paid as a percentage of base pay to comply with government‑retirement law), and a clarified vacation‑conversion section tied to IRS constructive‑receipts rules.

"This item before you today is... a request to approve the compensation plan for elected and appointed department heads," Lorenzo said as she summarized staff recommendations. Board members asked for specifics about sick‑leave conversion, the 80 hours of administrative leave, and the cap on vacation conversion; staff answered that elected officials have different rules (no time banks) and that a 160‑hour cap applies on vacation conversion for the affected group.

A member of the public used the public-comment period to raise concerns about "spiking" — the practice of cashing out large amounts of leave in a final year of employment and increasing retirement calculations — and asked whether the plan protects against that. Staff acknowledged the public concern and described the legal and administrative processes governing conversions and payouts.

A motion to adopt staff's recommendation passed by unanimous consent with no objections during the meeting. The plan takes effect March 15, 2026, and staff will follow the board's direction in administering the new language consistently with retirement law and county payroll practices.

The board did not record a detailed roll-call vote during the meeting for this item; action was approved by unanimous consent.