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Carbon County commissioners defend new hiring strategy, tout tourism growth
Summary
Commissioners said they will limit paid job postings on national job boards to save an estimated $30,000–$45,000 a year, focus outreach on local media and schools to fill budgeted vacancies, and highlighted that Carbon County accounts for about 14% of Tri‑County tourism and is the fastest‑growing county for visitors in the area.
Carbon County commissioners on May 14 explained a shift in how the county advertises job openings, saying they will prioritize local outreach rather than paying to sponsor large numbers of listings on commercial job boards.
"When you advertise on Indeed you sponsor a job ... now you can only post three free jobs per month," the chair, Michael Jason Frankel, said, describing new limits and the cost of sponsored posts. Frankel said the commissioners calculated that advertising all open positions on sponsored listings could cost between $30,000 and $45,000 and concluded that was not a prudent use of county funds.
Frankel said the county is not creating new positions but filling vacancies that are already budgeted. He said the goal is to hire county residents where possible and to use local newspapers, circulars, high‑school events and the county website and Facebook page to attract applicants. "We're exploring new ways to reach out to get the best bang for your dollar," he said.
Commissioners also addressed concerns about salaries and retention. Frankel acknowledged they would like to pay more but said local budgets limit how much they can increase wages. He noted the county has aimed for an average roughly 3% raise over the previous three years to stay competitive.
In commissioners' reports the board highlighted economic and tourism activity in the county: Frankel said Carbon County accounts for about 14% of visitation to the Tri‑County area (Carbon, Monroe and Pike counties) and described Carbon as the fastest‑growing of the three in tourism. He credited hotel‑tax distributions and nonprofit partners for supporting local events and attractions.
What happens next: Commissioners said the county will proceed with the new advertising approach immediately and will continue outreach through HR at local events. They did not announce changes to specific vacancy postings at the meeting.
Attributions: Quotes and policy descriptions above are attributed to Michael Jason Frankel, identified in the transcript as the chairman of the Carbon County Board of Commissioners.
