County culture team outlines accountability action plan and supervisor training sessions

Amanda Fazemeyer, Black Hawk County human resources director, presented the Culture Team's action plan on July 21, explaining the plan grows from the county's GAPM workforce survey and subsequent drill‑down interviews and supervisor feedback.

Fazemeyer said the GAPM baseline showed accountability scored about a 4 on a 1–10 scale and the team identified barriers including inconsistent follow‑through, lack of trust, difficulty addressing conflict and unclear communication. The action plan blends supervisor review and practice sessions, one‑on‑one meetings, peer mentoring and improved feedback loops.

"What do you need to start or see happening to rate accountability higher?" Fazemeyer asked, describing how staff interviews and supervisor responses informed proposed solutions. She told the board supervisors are being offered three facilitated review and practice sessions on Aug. 26, Sept. 9 and Sept. 23 at a total cost of $15,000; the sessions will include pretests so facilitators can tailor content.

Mike Hendrickson, director of county conservation, described using one‑on‑one meetings in his department and said the approach yielded greater openness and trust in follow‑up rounds of interviews. "Those one on ones gave me so much insight," Hendrickson said, and he recommended the review/practice sessions as a way to build consistent accountability practices across departments.

Fazemeyer said the culture team will develop a communications plan to share how the GAPM results shape the action plan and that an addendum to the consultant contract was planned for consideration next week. The board did not take immediate formal action on the addendum at this meeting.