Plumas County planning director asks to reallocate one FTE into two planner positions; board requests cost analysis and defers final action

Planning Director Tracy Ferguson asked the board to amend FY25–26 position allocations to remove one assistant planning director FTE and add two flexibly allocated planner FTEs. Ferguson said the candidate pool currently yields more applicants at the assistant/associate/senior planner levels and that adding two flexibly allocated planners will improve project throughput across roughly 55 active projects.

Auditor-controller staff requested a detailed long-term cost breakdown (including health insurance and other benefits) and suggested the item be considered in the FY26–27 budget process to ensure sustainable funding. Supervisors debated an interim option — converting one FTE to a flexibly allocated planner now so recruitment can begin pending broader budget decisions — and generally agreed to continue the item to the June 30 special meeting so staff can produce cost data and a recruiting-fill proposal.

Ferguson noted recruitment challenges since December 2021 after the assistant planning director retired and said the department is currently operating with two planners and a part-time senior planner; approval of additional allocated positions would help reduce per-planner caseloads.

Next steps: board directed staff to return on June 30 with a breakdown of total compensation costs and a recruitment plan; they signaled tentative support for creating at least one flexibly allocated position immediately with the second position subject to budget review.