Commissioners approve posting for grant-funded behavioral health manager position

Lincoln County commissioners on Nov. 5 approved posting a behavioral health manager / crisis coalition coordinator position with a proposed wage grade of 17 through 19, after staff and HR said those grades would fit the available grant funding.

County staff presented a draft job description that had been reviewed by HR. An HR representative said a grade of 17–18 would be supported by the grant; another staff speaker suggested grade 17–19 could be accommodated "to conform to the grant perimeters and payments." Commissioners approved a motion to post the position at grade 17–19 and directed staff to proceed.

Commissioners discussed whether a second position in the grant would be full-time, part-time or contracted; staff said they plan to request a contract revision and that the secondary role might be part-time or served by contractors given limited remaining grant time. "A contract might be easier and then we can look at the next grant cycle," a commissioner said.

During public comment Rocky Gford (who identified himself and gave an address) asked where the grant funding originated and whether nonprofits would be recipients. Staff replied the funds were from a state mental-health grant described in the meeting as a roughly $300 million state initiative passed by the 2023 legislature and that administration is through the state; staff said no specific nonprofit partners were identified in the county-level grant administration discussion.

Action taken: board approved posting of the behavioral health manager / crisis coalition coordinator position at wage grade 17–19 (motion approved).