COLUMBIANA CO. Officials consider hiring some help

The commissioners' two-person staff is swamped with work, a commissioner said.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- The administrative demands that go with overseeing hundreds of public employees has Columbiana County commissioners considering placing a want ad for some expert help.
Commissioners are weighing whether to hire a human resources administrator, Commissioner Sean Logan said Thursday. "We have to do something," Logan said.
Chores such as keeping a state and federally required employee handbook updated, managing workers' compensation matters and monitoring health insurance records are overwhelming the commissioners and their two-person staff, Logan said.
The county employs about 800 people.
Postponing chores
The many personnel tasks associated with an employee roster of that size are time-consuming and are causing other routine commissioner office chores to be postponed, Logan said.
It's unclear whether a full-time employee, a part-time worker or professional consultant would best meet the county's needs, Logan said.
What may be required is bringing someone in full-time, at least temporarily, to catch up on the work backlog. The county may then be able to switch to a part-time person or consultant, Logan said.
He added that he's unsure what a human resources administrator would cost. Money to pay someone would have to come from the general fund, Logan said.
Logan and Commissioner Jim Hoppel are running for re-election this year.
Logan acknowledged that talk of hiring may be ill-advised during a campaign season. But important work needs to be done, and the matter must be addressed, he said.