JBC-Personnel (7:30AM-9AM)

You'll personnel will get started. First of all will recognize Tony Roberts and analysts to come directors today appreciate each of you being here thank you. Thank you Mr chairman first item on the agenda is item B. this is a member amendment from representative Wardlaw to Senate bill one forty seven the University of Arkansas at Monticello the amendment will eliminate thirty existing positions ten for Monticello ten for McGee and ten from Crossett reclassify them within the Monticello campus and they'll be those three positions we twelve month graduate assistants a nine month part time faculty there is no overall increase or decrease in the number of total positions. Thank you. Any questions. Mr I'm nice I'm here to answer any questions but the Tony's exactly right there's no cost for this service transferred on to form one campus to another. Thank you representative warm any other questions or comments. We have a motion to accept this. Recommendation that a motion second. All in favor say aye. Motion passes next item. Mr chairman item C. is a member amendment from senator Caldwell that will add thirty nine positions to the a issue Jonesborough of Jonesborough appropriation in Senate bill one twenty four this for the new school of veterinary medicine the additional positions will include one dean with a lot of Max three hundred fifty thousand dollars to associate dean of schools three veterinary medicine instructors with I'm not a maximum of a hundred thousand dollars three department chairs in thirty faculty positions. Mr chairman there's no additional appropriation requested with the amendment. Thank you Tony any questions comments. We have a motion to accept this well motion of a second. I have a second. All in favor say aye opposed. Motion passes you're recognized Mr chairman and committee members we're skipping over item D. at the member's request going to item D. this is a member amendment from senator Hammer for the board of election commissioners house bill eleven oh five the amendment will add three additional positions to the appropriation the positions are a general counsel at a GS thirteen an attorney supervisor at a GS twelve in S. B. E. C. investigator to GSO eight the amendment will also eliminate one election admin specialist and then provides a to pay grade increase for the Election Commission director and one great increases for the Election Commission business operations manager Election Commission educational services manager and the Election Commission Election coordinator the net effect of the position changes and it is an increase of two positions taking them from ten total positions to twelve and would increase to regular salaries and matching line items by three hundred eighty thousand dollars. You've heard the recommendation any questions or comments. Regis Cavenaugh you're recognized thank you Mr chair. Can represent Senator Hammer come down and explain why we need the amendment is approaching the table thank you. Hammer induces cell. Thank you Mr chairman Kim Hammer state senator district sixteen. Could my guest introduce themselves to Mr. Can my guest introduce himself. Thank you so structure of state agency. Chris Madison legal counsel or watch the one about the training this. Thank you Mr yes ma'am yes if you don't mind if you guys explain why relating to make these changes sure if that's all right I'll give the brief explanation I think it would be enhanced if of my friends to the right to expand a little bit election integrity is important everybody one of the things is that we find that when it comes to the manpower to do what I think is required to give us all peace of mind that the elections are you know safe secure and everybody's vote counts is we're gonna have adequate staff to be able to go out and do that we did increase last time last session which got us to one tier of the process but this will take us to what I would refer to as a second tier because one of things we want to do is lean forward as far as going out and investigating in areas such as absentee ballots and also other areas that I would defer to the experts to talk about if that's okay with you. Thank you thank you. So what this is the board had directed me to do a couple things one and most importantly to lean forward into the investigation and The looking for serious violations of election law when it comes to the most vulnerable areas of our lecture process which is mail voting remote voting and also the voter registration database this is the this in this is what I told the committee and substitute bill this is the committee Padian request to Senate bill two seventy two which would set up a process where the board would and what now we just received complaints and only investigate what's brought to us we would then start going on actively reviewing the documents associated with mail voting and of course the voter registration database that's the key component obviously as you can tell it kinda also builds something of a career track where we might have the opportunity to develop expertise we've lost some of that across the the relevant agencies as far as attorneys with election knowledge and experience they are very many of us so we that's a side effect primary point is to give us the capacity to do what Senate bill two seventy two ascus today conversely if if if you in your judgment we don't need to do this we will back off of this active policing we don't have we're at capacity we will expositions to do that okay I just wanna make sure I understand. You're adding positions but you're also upping the pay grade at the same time. That was thank you that was the other up directive I receive from the board to try to try to account these have been in place a long time and strive to align Our pay grade in in a way that's more Designed to dig to keep and retain and and and when necessary recruit staff to to do this work yes ma'am and do you actually have the money in the budget. I know you're asking for appropriation are you actually going to need more money there will need to be some more money in this there is an opportunity to to cover some of this was some existing revenue but obviously these are staff positions on the long term it would have an ongoing general revenue impact that we need to be increase for sure and how much is that general revenue increase going to be commensurate with the preparation increases in here. approximately three hundred thousand is that what I'm reading yes three hundred thousand a year that's correct okay thank you. Thank you representative Cavenaugh center paid. Thank you Mr. so this is basically what. What it takes because of the bill that says it will audit. Ten or fifteen counties every election cycle and and take a look back to make sure everything was working right is that is that right. That's the primary a piece of it there's also the auditing your recall that bill had additional auditing of of the appointment which we would like to to increase that capacity as well there's also and I feel dimension certainly there's also the fact that we have started going out really helping counties to make a call there some counties as a real challenges to their elections and I had staff that spent weeks in those counties so that is also expanding our capacity to be hands on and try to. Prevent problems from escalating once they're identified and and in an election in the moment so it it is so if you could just out of proper refresh my memory on the bill we heard in state agencies if it passed the committee and it's added to the Senate floor with recommendation do pass or that is correct yes Sir so if it were to pass without this would you just have no way of implementing it. Well I up to be on yes Sir I mean if the committee in its judgment aside this should not happen then and then I would ask that that that bill not proceed in the House okay not as currently constituted thank you Mr. Thank you senator Bryden any further questions. Seeing none what you recommendation on this amendment for. Do pass I have a motion the second. Second thank you all in favor say aye aye All opposed. Thank you senator Hammer thank you Mr chairman and members of the committee Tony you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman Mr my committee members everything moving forward from item F. on or all intermixed west's in will be. The entire report will be reported out to J. B. C. on Tuesday but everything from F. on his interment quests not member amendments or anything like that all right so item F. is an internal question DHS aging adult behavioral health services for three new positions to be funded through arca arca fines of are you this is our gonna prove by peer review or subcommittee is tasked with reviewing the classifications assigned to the approved positions these include two grants analyst in an admin analyst for the mental health mental illness pilot program opium is recommended the requested classifications. Thank you questions on this. Recommendation. No bill has made the request for the changes. Sam NO questions I have a motion. Motion second. Thank you all in favor say aye. Pose like ones. Moshe this past Mr chairman under G. is a second request from DHS DHS aging adult behavior health services this is for everyone miscellaneous program position and appropriation previously approved by Pierre requested classifications the DHS program manager to work in the substance abuse program opium is recommended the requested classification. You've heard the recommendation has been improved by appearing and build a recommendation on the OPM for the title. Discussion any questions. I have a motion own G.. Well done motion the second. Yes all in favor say aye. Many opposed. Hearing on the motion to pose chairman item H. is a request from the department of public safety the crime lab Division for forensic scientist classification is to work on sexual assault kit initiative peer review previously reviewed the appropriation position opium is recommended the requested classification. Who are the recommendation from here though the any questions any discussion. I have a motion to allow them a. The motion second. Second. Thank you all in favor say aye. Well opposed. Thank you past. I'm gonna miss chairman item I. Is requesting the Arkansas State University to establish when dean of veterinary medicine with a lot at a maximum of three hundred fifty thousand dollars uh from the higher its central growth pool this is the same dean position that was requested in center called was amendment but would be available to a issue immediately in order to recruit hire someone for the position is the established the new program the estimated cost of the position with match is between three hundred seventy five thousand four hundred thirty thousand dollars the Department higher it is recommended the requested position entitle. You heard the Recommendation to have any questions or discussion regarding the date of the narrative medicine. Seeing none. I have a motion to accept the recommendation will be. Got a motion to a second. Thank you all in favor say aye. All opposed motions passed next I'll. I am asking me I'm J. as a second request from a issue Jonesborough this is for ten new positions from the higher end central growth pool request includes five academic counselors one project program director and for student development specialists the academic counselors will work with at risk students providing guidance and support to help increase student success the project program director will implement oversee efforts to provide academic support to incoming freshman student development specialists will mentor students assigned to them to ensure academic and personal progress towards degree completion the estimated cost is five hundred fifty thousand dollars the Department of higher it is recommended the requested positions. Any questions concerning I J. as in judge or a. J. J. J. J.. You saying the. Okay. Sorry. Senator but you're recognized thank you Mr I'm just wondering what's driving this as there been a law student growth there are what is it that causes the need for. More management our counselors of. Mr Broadway is. Prone to the table. Do you sell them enter the question queue thank you Mr chairman members of the commission Broadway a issue system and let me per states Senator pain the reason this was not in our budget request for the for the fall hearings was that process begins last February and March and so those had to be done and approved in July for by the higher education Corning aboard our new Chester doctors Todd shields came on board and in August this is a program that issue Jonesborough wants to institute that the Chesters had previous very good success with. added at a previous institution and what we realized is is using it's a national kind of a national model model around the country that show great success and increasing graduation rates almost eighty percent our first to second your retention rate of students to seventy six percent second to third is sixty four percent third fourth is fifty five percent and graduation rate is fifty three percent we obviously a job or serve a unique student body because a lot of our students come from the delta northeast Arkansas I'm a first time college students I'm a prime example of how this would would benefit a student so it's it's really providing and through this model is a battle it analytics and looking at the student like me who showed up in nineteen ninety first generation college student didn't have a lot of money knew what he wanted to do but had no clue how to get there and what we found is if we if we intensify the services around these kids in terms of admission housing financial aid walking through here's the courses you need to take here's the questions if you've got up an issue I had a brother was in the hospital for a hundred fifty days I want to go home every day but it was because of the intensive services we had it helps keep me there and so what we found is we have people who do that currently but based upon the data analytics we don't have enough to serve the at risk population the student like me to help get them through so we believe that this will fully pay for itself because the more you retain those kids obviously the more they're going to continue to pay an intuition and so we we believe and it's proven successful there's an article in the paper about about the same model today you can go and see so that's that's the reason for the request on in Chesterfield fully believes that this will create success in retaining our students but more importantly. Graduating and as part of this it includes developing that resume and helping them with their interview skills and Corning through career services to get a job. So if you do you have an idea what the student to counselor ratio is currently and what this would make it I can get that for that was actually a question I had myself I'll get that information to you and what this would would take it down to but that's the goal is to reduce the amount of in a sense the case work this call I was thinking about this from a DHS standpoint simmering J. hill back here in terms of a case worker how many cases they have and how many students it would work to reduce the number of students that that counselor has to work with so they get that one more one on one intensive intensive help but I'll get that information get right to you thank you thank you Mr. Thank you senator. Representative Cavenaugh. Thank you Mr chair case I missed it I don't know how much is the cost of this two five hundred thousand I believe that was a five hundred thousand and is that in currently in your budget or okay and this is actually still keeps us below I guess in the negative in terms of positions we gave up twenty six I believe this leaves at sixteen hello from what we had previous okay thank you. Sing out the bit school I don't I consider that school kind of a separate bill. Thank you representative Cavenaugh any other questions. Thank you Mr broad one thank you Mr or the recommendation. In the request do I have a motion to accept. Yes okay second. Second time all in favor is gonna be saying aye All opposed like worms. You have approved the motion thank you Mr Robert. Mr chairman item K. is a request from the of a community college at Morrilton this for three maintenance specialist from the higher institute growth pool these positions will provide various construction maintenance automotive in labor duties as needed anticipated costs as a hundred and six thousand dollars Department higher it is recommended the requested positions. You heard a recommendation we have any questions. Seeing none I have a motion to accept. The motion. The motion second. All in favor say aye. All opposed Like wise motion to pass. Mr Robinson was chairman items L. as requests from Southeast Arkansas college to be allowed to pay over two percent for increases or lump sum payments to some employees as needed the institution is requesting to pay an additional five hundred dollars lump sum to each employee classified and non classified in the five hundred dollars equates to more than two percent for some of the employees which is their reason for the need for this request into spread across the seventy eight thousand dollars each is recommended the payments. You've heard the recommendation any questions. The discussion. I have a motion. The second. Motion the second all in favor together saying aye. All opposed Like ones. Motion but. Mr chairman items M. is a request from the of a palm bluff for labor market rate to be set for the food preparation supervisor at forty thousand dollars this falls between the mid point maximum of the grade to the current competitive market in the area of the institution hopes to keep the incumbent in the position with an increased salary yes made increase for the incumbent is thirteen thousand dollars the department of higher education is recommended the request labor market rate thank you let me let the chair add to that the you've got several board from the department of corrections but it is ends up being a minus one addition this is what is all this is which one. Okay okay indiscretion. I'm sorry. Hello Bills one phone bill yes okay hello ma'am. In addition. Okay questions okay I have a motion. Okay second. All in favor say aye. Bozella closed this past you're recognized Mr chairman this item in the item is a request for the department of commerce your question one position from the opium growth pool and one position from the surrender pool with both positions needing new classifications the chief workforce officer will have a great of SCO for and the chief legal counsel to you will have a grade of SCO one the agency is requesting to surrender their current chief legal counsel at a GS fifteen the chief workforce officer will be responsible for directing workforce development policies career education strategy the chief legal counsel to will be responsible for directing all legal affairs for the Department opium any agency state the estimated cost of the new chief workforce officer will be roughly two hundred thirteen thousand dollars and they'll be no cost in taking on the chief legal counsel from GS fifteen to an SCO one opium is recommended the requested classifications and the position and also request this particular recommendation be retroactive to February the ninth twenty twenty three. To the recommendations and questions. Comments Senator credit you're recognized. Our guests are I may have missed something here but I mean is this the chief legal counsel. Is being eliminated that at a different level is being put in is it gonna be the same employee just or is that a raise. Yes I'm making assumption that it's the same employment you have to ask the agency does not understand good good real estate agency there was already a raise is to. Isn't that impose yourself in the. All. Good morning Mr chairman committee members my name's Human Donald secretary comes. Mr installations your position is good to see you see you you're recognized. Of the question was it is actually different person. Same salary bill so it's gonna be a new hire. Yes the person has been hired yes. so how's it going to be the same salary were re classifying the and there's no overlap in the classification. All correct correctness of the others an overlap. So it's it's a different person same dower different person same shall thank you as well as one in the. any other questions. Thank you Mr secretary thank you Mr thank you Sir I have a motion. Okay second second all in favor of the cover something Opposed Like ones motions practice. Mr chairman item this is a request from department correction or shared services direct division they're going or surrender nine currently authorized positions in return for seven higher grade positions request would provide the agency with four new human resources program representatives and three human resource analysts the hope is that the new hire greater positions without the agency to recruit retain employees in areas that has had significant turnover the net effect will be a decrease of two authorized positions at the agency the agency in OPM said that there is an estimated savings of twenty six thousand dollars based on the elimination of the two previously fill positions five of the nine eliminate positions are currently filled in for positions were vacated within the last four months opium is recommended the requested swap of positions. You heard the recommendation any questions. Any comments. I have a motion. I have a motion the second. So thank you all in favor say aye. Post like wines. Moshe's carried thank you Mr chairman Adam P. is a request from department of correction the Division of correction to creating new position along with a new classification from the opium growth tool for A. D. O. C. chief of staff at an S. C. O. two estimated cost for the position is fifteen thousand dollars you're the expected promotion of an employee within the agency opium is recommended requested special entry. We have the classification positions you heard a recommendation. Any questions. Any comments. I have a motion to approve. I have a motion the second. Second all in favor say aye. Opposed Like works. Motion carries the chairman Adam Q. is also for the Department correction this is for the special enter eight four hundred five thousand dollars conceptually what qualified applicant for their general counsel position the applicant has fourteen years experience will be transferring from the attorney general's office opium is recommended the requested special entry. Any questions in the Commons. I have a motion to approve. Motion second. Second of. All in favor say aye. Opposed like one. The. Sherman item are is requesting the department correction Division correction for a new classification only not a position the Department requesting a DSE assistant and make grievance coordinator at Ageas of six this particular classification be responsible for helping the grievance coordinator with investigating and making recommendation on and make complaints because the title to be used on existing positions OPM estimates will be no cost to create the title. Any questions. In the Commons all in. Our motion. The motion the second. All in favor say aye. Motion passes I got ahead of myself will go because it is excited one of the cities of the we're sorry which seven twenty six thousand and after we went all the way through that we have a the loss of one so I want to thank the department of corrections the. Sturch thank you tension thank you next item which chairman Adam S. is requesting the department of finance administration for a new position in a new classification from the opium growth pool their requesting a state infrastructure coordinator at a GS fifteen the position will be responsible for maximizing federal funding for all infrastructure priorities including transportation ports airports energy broadband levees dams etcetera yes many cost of the position is a hundred and eighty thousand dollars opium is recommended the classification in the position. You heard a recommendation I'm I like to ask do you come to the table I've got a couple questions and. Thank you so please yes Sir Mr chairman Alan McVeigh Department finance administration thank you Mr the representative Cavenaugh you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair my question is on this is this going to be used with federal funds paid with federal funds or is this gonna be paid with state general revenue it's it's currently being paid with state general revenue as we move toward the one of the one of the main reasons for this position is to approach the opportunity for competitive federal grants as we move through the infrastructure Act and there's there's gonna be a tremendous amount of federal funds as those federal funds. If the state as the state is competitive and successful then we have a goal of shifting this position to federal funds okay do we have an estimate of how much of the infrastructure money we should receive that they'll help manage. We. No I'm not I can't I don't have a number for the competitive I mean they're going to be billions of dollars of competitive federal funds available to the states across the country Arkansas anticipates that we could approach hundreds of millions of dollars and be successful in and Transportation related broadband related competitive grants and we would have we'll have to work through and the developer match program to be able to competitively compete for those dollars and we anticipate of being successful and a polling in pasta hundreds of millions if not close to a billion dollars. Follow up Mr. You know is this person already employed or is this a new hire this person it was a new hire for DFA but the person is in a position. Curso so we've already hired him and now we're asking. Yes ma'am. Okay. So are we doing this to get them raises that were that's what I'm I'm so I'm trying to figure out of we've already hired and why we come and now after no hired. We had an opportunity we brought them in on an extra help position and we're converting that to a if we submitted the request for a pole position from OPM and we're moving them into that position okay so it is going from up. Department basically just extra help you gonna make a full time what is the cost going to be for this. S. one hundred and total cost with benefits a hundred and eighty thousand and and is that in your budget. Yes okay thank you. Any other questions Mr back up goes a couple of questions. Is this a result of the infrastructure bill that was passed by Congress is that's what was driving this I mean what what. The highway department we have a broad band Office and we have of the airport commission while everyone would disposition thank you Mr chairman there's there is a significant amount of money in the in in the federal infrastructure act that is what is referred to as formula funding so that in the infrastructure act there is funding that will flow through the Department transportation flow through commerce for broadband and different areas within state government date those departments have personnel they have programs in place in most cases to be able to access and to utilize those funds this position will coordinate on behalf of the state across all the departments are hello our approach to the competitive funding they'll be billions of dollars in competitive funding that'll be available to the states outside of the outside of the formula funding in the this position will help DFA and help the the this administration to coordinate with all the various departments across the state as we set priorities and and submit applications develop and submit applications for those competitive funding opportunities. Thank you any other questions from the committee. Do I have a motion. I have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Opposed Like was thank you Mr make the. Mr chairman moving on to item T.. And his request from DHS division provider and quality assurance to make certification differentials available the employees in the listing classifications certification differentials are added on to an employee's salary but are not part of the permanent salary if an employee leaves that particular job for another job within the state the certification differential is removed five classification on the first page or see of up to a ten percent differential pay when they have the long term care facility surveyor certification into its pretty cost is two hundred six thousand dollars opium is recommended the requested differential. You've heard recommendation any questions. In comments. I have a motion. I have a second. Section all in favor say aye. Opposed Like ones. The best recommendation is Robinson okay Mister chairman of the remaining items you through direct U. V. and W. these are all reports required action we'll take any questions if there are any for members. Any questions concerning the reports and news the W.. Hearing none. She will move on to other business. Having anyone have any other business. were German thank you for your attendance.