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Council approves several hiring exemptions; recorder outlines digitization plan
Summary
The council granted hiring-freeze exemptions to county departments (highway, planning, recorder) and approved recorder-perpetuation funding for a phase-2 scanning project; the planning department cited state law changes requiring faster permit timelines.
The Monroe County Council July 14 approved multiple hiring-freeze exemptions and recording-office budget actions intended to maintain essential services and meet statutory timelines.
Highway Department: The council approved an exemption to refill one full-time traffic control technician/laborer (funded 80% from the motor vehicle highway fund and 20% from a restricted motor vehicle highway account). Lisa Ridge said the employee resigned and the department will rely on reserved cash until state gas-tax reimbursements arrive.
Planning Department: Director Ellen Jelen described the Planning Department’s need to refill a Planner II position (two recent departures to city jobs), cited state statutory changes that shorten permit review timelines and noted that a planner handles hundreds of calls and dozens of cases per year. Jelen said successful recruitment typically requires offering the posted minimum salary; the council unanimously approved the hiring exemption.
Recorder’s Office: Recorder Amy Swain requested permission to fill one full-time deputy recorder, reported that the office is small and handles counter and phone services, and noted increased workload after a new federal housing statute. Councilors also approved a $35,000 category transfer within the Recorder's Perpetuation Fund to pay for phase 2 of a records digitization (scanning) project that will preserve historical books and improve public access. A later request to appropriate $400 for a longevity payment passed 6–1; members discussed whether that small payment could be charged to perpetuation funds.
Why it matters: Councilors emphasized that understaffed technical departments can slow permitting and push development out of county limits; the recorder’s scanning project is intended to preserve historical records and improve remote access.
