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Cheshire County reports 12% turnover over six months; officials outline hiring and training steps
Summary
County staff reported 76 hires and 57 separations over the last six months, leaving a 12% turnover rate that officials said is falling from prior periods. Commissioners heard details on pipeline hiring, tuition support for nurses and a new international recruit being processed for licensure.
Cheshire County commissioners heard a semiannual human resources report on April 30 that showed 76 hires and 57 terminations over the prior six months, a net turnover rate of 12% for the reporting window.
The presenter, who brought HR specialist Desiree (“Dez”) to the meeting, said the turnover rate has declined from 15% in the previous six‑month period and roughly 23% in the period before that. Staff contrasted the county’s 12% with a 2024 national average they described as “just under 4%,” and said the county is trending in the right direction.
Officials detailed where hires occurred: 12 at the King campus, nine at the department of corrections, 13 for EMS and 42 at Maplewood. The presenter said EMS’s turnover a year earlier had been about 55% and has fallen to roughly 10%, attributing much of the improvement to leadership changes and retention efforts.
Staff described multiple retention measures: recruiting nursing‑school students into entry LNA roles that give clinical exposure, paying some LPNs’ tuition to become RNs while the county provides work schedules to accommodate schooling, and making use of partnerships such as a contract with Visa Healthcare Solutions for onboarding and staffing support. The presenter said one RN candidate currently licensed in Canada is being processed for U.S. licensure and could arrive in approximately three months if paperwork — including Department of Labor approvals — is completed.
Commissioners asked for follow‑up and for continued emphasis on leadership development; staff said they have monthly leadership topics for department heads and occasional half‑day training events to strengthen supervisory skills. The presenter also said Maplewood is fully staffed in environmental services for the first time in years and that dietary and nursing remain areas of ongoing need.
The meeting recessed briefly for a tour of the assisted‑living facility and then resumed other business.
