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Human resources outlines digital records, recruitment and training gains; labor relations reports recent contracts
Summary
HR described digital employee records for ~12,000 files, recruitment and training outcomes in 2025 and 2026 staffing goals; labor relations summarized recent collective bargaining settlements and an ongoing negotiation and plans to modernize grievance and filing systems.
Human resources and labor relations presented progress on workforce, training and labor-management work in the 2026 operating budget hearing.
Montrella Jackson, director of human resources, listed HR'department accomplishments in 2025: launching a digital-file project to centralize roughly 12,000 employee records (launch planned in April), administering 203 civil-service exams, hiring 366 employees from 5,800 applications and enrolling 1,823 employees in benefits. Jackson said HR supported 64 retirements in 2025 and administers benefits services for about 2,700 retirees. HR also expanded a Stark State partnership that yielded training enrollments and associate degrees for employees, introduced on-site physical therapy for safety staff and enhanced employee-orientation programming.
"This will become part of our recruitment tool," Jackson said of an HR video used for outreach, noting the aim of improving retention and morale through a centralized employee handbook and streamlined hiring processes.
Frank Williams, director of labor relations, described the office's role in contract negotiations, discipline and grievance hearings. He said the city concluded 2025 bargaining for police, fire and CSPA and was engaged in negotiations with Local 1360. Williams noted the department's work to modernize records systems so HR, law and labor relations can share information efficiently.
Why it matters: Recruitment, training and records modernization affect staffing costs, time-to-hire and compliance across city departments. Council members asked for the line items that fund these initiatives and for demonstration of outcomes (for example, how many enforcement or retention cases were resolved after probationary reviews).
What's next: HR will roll out the digital records in April, provide more detail on training costs and continue to refine the civil-service hiring process in coordination with the work-for-America spotlight assistance referenced in the presentation.
