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Steuben County HR presses departments to finish evaluations amid talk of performance pay
Summary
HR Administrator Erin Schiffli urged county departments to complete performance evaluations by the end of 2024 and proposed linking future raises to completed evaluations; Council President Dan Caruso urged a cautious approach while Councilwoman Christina Cress cited SBOA guidance that pay raises are the Council's responsibility.
Erin Schiffli, Steuben County HR Administrator, told the Council on July 9 that not all county departments complete annual evaluations and urged completion before the 2025 budget sessions. Schiffli said performance‑based pay is under consideration and recommended the Council or the County Commission notify department heads to finish evaluations by the end of 2024. She added that departments failing to complete evaluations by the start of budget sessions in 2025 "may not be eligible for raises in 2026," a potential enforcement mechanism she suggested to encourage compliance.
Council President Dan Caruso counseled a cautious, incremental approach, noting Schiffli already faces a substantial workload preparing for budget hearings and related studies (including work by Waggoner, Irwin, and Scheele & Associates). Caruso said it would be better to "walk and not run" and focus first on ensuring evaluations are completed in 2024. Councilwoman Christina Cress said she spoke with an individual at the State Board of Accounts (SBOA) who conveyed that pay‑raise authority lies with the County Council; Schiffli said there is no existing ordinance governing raises and emphasized coordination will be needed between the Commission (for approval of raises) and the Council (for funding). Councilman Tony Isa expressed strong support for eventual implementation of performance‑based pay.
Next steps: the Council did not adopt a policy at the July 9 meeting but directed staff to pursue completion of evaluations in 2024 and for the Auditor and HR to coordinate on the budgetary implications ahead of the 2025 budget sessions.
