RECOMMENDATIONS Audit outcome

Some of the findings and recommendations in the state performance audit report for Mahoning County government.
SALARY/PERSONNEL
Two additional employees are needed in human resources department.
Overall job classification plan is needed.
Employee contributions for health care should be negotiated into all contracts and collected.
Employee leave balances should be reconciled and tracked more efficiently.
Consider implementing a new hospitalization plan to help reduce rising premiums.
BOARD OF ELECTIONS
Thoroughly assess the costs, advantages and disadvantages of touch-screen and optical scanner voting systems and decide which is better for the county in the long run.
Seek state and federal funding to help buy a new voting system.
Increase voter registration among ages 18-24.
COUNTY COURTS
Replace part-time judges with full-time judges and consolidate four county courts.
Streamline case management to help reduce caseloads.
Implement a special project fund.
JUVENILE COURT
Improve the accuracy of case information reported to the Ohio Supreme Court.
Reallocate one full-time employee to the probation department.
Improve management of daily population in the juvenile detention center.
Do not fill 10 vacant youth leader positions.
Reduce turnover among probation officers.
Cross-train magistrates to handle all types of cases.
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
Create written procedures specifying how billing for housing of Youngstown and federal inmates should be done.
Implement a billing system for responding to false security alarms.
Implement a pay-for-stay program at the jail.
Reduce the number of deputies assigned to courthouse security from 21 to 13.
Expand video arraignment capability to common pleas and area courts.
Compensation package is 18.1 percent below the average for deputies in Trumbull, Lorain and Stark counties.