Committee reviews employee‑survey findings; staff recommends pass‑with‑no‑action while implementing major pay and benefits work

The Clarke County Government Operations Committee on March 16, 2026, reviewed results from a 2023 employee engagement survey and accepted staff’s recommendation to 'pass with no action' while the manager’s office implements a suite of compensation and benefits actions.

Staff said the 2023 survey had roughly a 50% response rate and was administered by an external contractor to protect anonymity. "It was done through both virtual and you could fill out in person," the manager’s office said, noting the contractor approach kept supervisory staff from seeing individual responses.

Why it matters: employees rated work environment and professional development relatively highly but identified compensation and benefits—and rewards and recognition—as the lowest‑scoring categories. Staffing has improved into the high‑80% range since the earlier survey, staff said, but compensation remains the top concern that could affect retention.

Staff outlined ongoing and planned steps: annual market increases (4–7% previously), a three‑year freeze on employee health‑care contributions, a new fire pay plan with annual steps, and a unified pay‑study implementation that staff said will cost "in the millions." The manager’s office also recommended funding a comprehensive benefits review to benchmark retirement, health‑care options and employee contributions against peer communities.

Three policy items are in development for future committee consideration: a parental‑leave policy modeled on the school district and university, a standardized on‑call compensation policy across departments, and a formal emergency‑closure policy that clarifies expectations and possible compensation for frontline workers required to report for severe weather or other events.

Staff will release an updated survey this spring and run anonymized, third‑party focus groups to identify whether concerns are about direct supervisors, department leadership or central administration. Commissioners were invited to suggest survey questions; one asked that a question on employee interest in alternative transportation be added.

Given the active work streams already under way and the transition to a new county manager, staff recommended the committee "pass with no action" so work can continue and specific items can be returned for committee review. Commissioners moved, seconded and indicated assent to that recommendation.

Next steps: staff will advance the pay‑study implementation planning, fund a benefits benchmarking consultant in the upcoming budget, publish the updated employee survey, run focus groups and return to the committee with proposed parental‑leave, on‑call and emergency‑closure policies and budget implications.