ALC-Personnel

She wishes to make he can do that at the proper time and as far as my opening remarks there over. as as I say we we have a rather long agenda today it will be as long it will take us as long or as least amount of time is the committee chooses and questions that we might have from the public so with that I want to recognize Mr Tony Robinson to present of these items starting with the item number B. don't thank you Mr chairman I to be is requesting the department of health to surrender for various grade for positions in return for three computer support technicians a great I. T. O. to their questions made to help solve issues with recruiting and retaining I. T. help desk employees we have hardware and software knowledge and skills to perform the duties required yes many costs will be eighty four thousand dollars this will lower the total number of positions authorized by one OPM is recommended to requests what a physician's. Any questions from the committee. Hearing none this does require action I think all of these require action so is there a motion motion and a second that we approve this report that all in favor say aye opposed no motion carried. Mr chairman I am see is requested part of Health to surrender one public health section chief agree GS ten in return for eighty H. Narsingh program coordinator an MPO to the position will function as the trauma section sheet within the Arkansas trauma system the agency states impaired it is imperative that the person functioning as the trauma section chief has advanced medical knowledge and the new classification will allow the agency to hire or promote someone with the knowledge needed to provide leadership of this section the cost of the swap is estimated to be nineteen thousand dollars and will not increase or decrease the number of positions at the department opium is recommended the requested swap. Any questions from the committee. Seeing none is there a motion to approve a motion and a second those in favor say aye. Opposed no motion carried. Mr chairman I do D.. Your question department of energy and environment to surrender to positions from oil and gas division in three positions from the environmental quality division in return for one branch manager at a grade GS ten for each of those divisions the branch manager only gas will manage the natural gas well plugging program in a research. In research of the US EPA underground injection control program the branch manager for environmental quality will run their emergency response team the estimated cost of the swap of the positions thirty two thousand dollars the agency will end up with three fewer appropriated positions as or surrendering five opium is recommended the requested swat. Questions from the committee. Seeing none is there a motion to approve most a second motion favor say aye opposed no motion carried. Mr chairman item he has requested Arkansas towing and recovery board with the within the department of labor there are questions to surrender to towing and recovery investigator positions it yes three in favor for an internal affairs investigator to GSO six the agency plans to promote the incumbent from one of the positions being surrendered into the new internal affairs position has been taking on these additional duties for the last sixteen months according to the request there's no estimated cost of this what for the positions and there's a net decrease of one position at the Division opium is recommended the request. Questions from the committee. Say notice or motion to approve. And the second. All in favor say aye opposed no ocean carried. Mr chairman I don't S. is a request for the department of finance and administration management services their question to surrender to fiscal support specialist in grade yes or for ready if a statewide coordinator in an accounting coordinator a GS eleven and he just or not the two new positions are requested to help alleviate the increasing workload reporting responsibilities caused by increased federal funding received by the state the estimated cost of the two positions is a hundred twenty seven thousand dollars no be no net increase or decrease in the number of positions based on the request opium is recommended the request. Of C. no questions from the committee is there a motion. Posted second any discussion those in favor say aye. Posebno motion carried. Mr chairman I am G. is a request from DFA revenue and child for import child support enforcement division's revenue is requesting to surrender fifty one the FAA technician positions at a grade yes two and one institutional services supervisor at GSO to in return for fifty two DFA service representative positions GSO three child support is requesting to surrender. Five if the if a technician positions at GSO to intern for five DFA service representative positions at GSO three the purpose of the higher grade positions is to try to recruit and retain employees the estimated cost to swap and fill the new positions is one point one million we'll have a net zero effect on the number of positions that DFA OPM has recommended the swap positions. I don't see any questions. Okay say no questions there's motion that we approve their second. Motion second approved with no discussion those in favor say aye. PostsNo. Motion carried. I'm H. is requests for the department of Veterans Affairs to surrender a nurse manager position and MPO three in return for nursing director classification an MPO for requested to promote a particular managers take on additional duties in overtime to meet the needs of the veterans home in North Little Rock the estimated cost of the swap is thirteen thousand dollars would have a net zero effect on the number of positions of Veterans Affairs opium is recommended requested swap. Any questions from the committee. Say none motion. And second. No discussion all in favor say aye. Posebno motion hearing. Mr chairman chairman item I is a request from the department of emergency management for one growth pole position the requesting an eighty EM program coordinator to be the liaison with the Arkansas voluntary organization organization active in disaster the position will be responsible for coordination donations and management of disaster services through the volunteer organizations the estimated cost of the position is fifty one thousand dollars but will be paid by DHS current imho you between the departments the position will increase the number of authorized positions at Adam by one position opium is recommended the requested position. A question from a committee. So motion. Motion to approve a second. All in favor say aye. All posts a No motion hearing. Mr chairman I am J. is requesting the department of public safety for three growth pole positions along with two new classifications the department is asking for one research and planning director GS fourteen into special projects coordinators at GS eleven these two positions work within the research and planning units of the department they've been establishing over the last two years the cost estimate for the two positions is two hundred eighty three thousand dollars and will increase the number of authorized positions at DPS by three opium is recommended the requested positions in the tuning classifications. Any questions from the committee. Seeing none. Is there a motion to approve motion the second to approve. All those in favor say aye. Posebno motion carried barely. Mister chairman I'm K. is requesting department of public safety or psychologist position from the opium growth pool the psychologist will work within the department's wellness unit providing service and guidance for all DPS employees and law enforcement officers well it well this unit provides physical spiritual mental and emotional and financial wellness for all employees psychologist will be able to assess individual needs and provide resources or point them to an outside clinician for their specific needs the cost of the position is estimated at a hundred and six thousand dollars it will increase the agency's authorized position total by one opium is recommended the requested position. Questions from the committee. Seeing none is there a motion to approve. Motion the second to approve all in favor say aye. Pose no. Motion carried. Its chairman item L. is requests from department of military for five positions from the growth pool they're requesting an accountant one SJS or seven account to GSO eight to maintenance managers that GSO eight a quality assurance manager GS online the agency says the positions will help me internal needs and resolve organ organizational structure issues OPM has recommended something a bit different they're recommending for of the positions instead of five but recommends to release an already established account to position that was frozen under ACT seven ninety six of twenty twenty one this would generate a net increase of four positions instead of five they give them the five positions that they need with an estimated cost of two hundred twenty two thousand dollars. In an opium is recommended the request. Okay I sent Chesterfield you're recognized for a question. Here I'd like to ask OPM why they wish to change to make the change in the request. Yes the center chest felt military already have an account to authorized so it was then the wooden when I would pass muster with bill that put those positions and I had not been utilized for two years we tell them what they want to utilize those positions that come back to personnel committee and requested so we're suggesting at this point let's take that one out at seven ninety six hold use it and then create the folder name. Recreate basically the same salary as they reflect great thing ties to everything else thank you motions prompted Mr okay thank you. Okay are there other questions. Say none a motion by Senator church for your reserve second. Any discussion those in favor say aye. Posebno motion carried. Mr chairman items M. is a growth core question the Department of Parks heritage and tourism their question to establish two new positions an archaeologist at GSO eight in a park superintendent for energy SO nine the archaeologist work with historic preservation program specifically on federal highway projects parks will be reimbursed by the Department transportation for the position to an MO you between the departments the park superintendent for will be assigned a pinnacle mountain state park and weeks so be a recreation area the position. The parks will not promote the incumbent in the in the position the park three position into the new part for position based on increased duties and responsibilities the estimated cost of the position is a hundred twenty five thousand dollars will increase the number of authorized positions at parks back to. The questions from the committee. The represented speak you're recognized. I'm just curious where this comes from out of the Arkansas highway department budget. Member would have to let department transportation or somebody from Parks possibly answer that question. Is there someone here. Can help representative speaks. Okay Mr lepage aller ceded to identify yourselves and then you're recognized to answer these questions. I'm sent the eleven the fiscal office or department of parks heritage tourism. And on that date. Push it again there you go that it I'm David Meeks I'm HR director for parks heritage and tourism. I understand the question was where was is going to come from from the highway department's budget and we don't have that information specifically as to where they're coming from either but if you have anymore you with them to reimburse us but they would have to give you the specifics on where from there but it is coming from. I don't answer my question. Thank you the answer that they have is they don't know. How would you like for us to pursue that further I would and I'd like to tell where it's coming from me. Okay of the make confirm staff for your committee if we are. Okay okay all right of a representative speaks with your permission we will contact the highway department and we'll have an answer by Friday at the AMC movie sounds good okay. Thank you so much yes ma'am. So with that we were the furthest until Friday. Hello Sir check fee okay just wanna first information Mister chair I want to introduce you all do not know to one of my most outstanding students. Is there in the red and I'm just so we're proud of our. Okay. A search committee. Students do you have you talked to have a. And everyone was specialty or to. Okay okay thank you the staff is tower Tony said that we could go ahead approve this and and would not have to deferred With their questions being answered on Friday so with that is there a motion to approve. Most as second to approve any questions. Okay saying none all in favor of the motion so that. Posed no. Motion carried. Mr chairman item in its request for the department of correction division of community correction for fourteen additional parole probation officers from the opium growth pull off fourteen positions will be utilized within Central Arkansas with ten being added to the intensive supervision team and for going to back fill some drug court positions they had been moved around previously estimate the estimate ongoing cause for the positions eight hundred twenty thousand after initial one thousand one million dollar investment request will increase the number of authorized positions at the division by fourteen and opium is recommended the requested positions. Any questions from the committee. C. nine is there a motion to approve. Motion second to approve any discussion those in favor say aye. Posebno motion carried. Mr chairman item is a request from DDS a safer for new assistant director positions agree GS twelve in last year's DSA is recognized by the federal government and authorized for two hundred and seventy additional positions to help deal with the backlog of disability claims in other states he's forty positions will be tasked with supervising the growing number of DDS employees providing leadership for the organization yes may cost of these positions is three hundred forty three thousand dollars it will increase the authorized positions by for opium is recommended the requested physicians. Any questions from the committee. Senator a motion to approve. Motion second approved. All those in favor say aye. Opposed no. Motion carried. Mr chairman item P. is requesting DFA division of revenue for eight growth pole positions they requesting three new tax appeals staff attorneys and GS thirteen an attorney supervisor GS twelve administrative law judge GS twelve an attorney specialist of gray GS eleven along with two legal services specialists at GSO six the positions will be utilized within the office of field audit revenue legal counsel the office of hearings and appeals yes ma'am the cost of the positions five hundred eight thousand dollars and will increase the number of authorized positions by eight opium is recommended the requested positions. Questions from the committee. Sam Nunn is there a motion to approve. Motion the second. A. Maybe I'll stop right here for a call for motion and the personal story one time I was calling the bingo game and got kinda late at night and I would get a lot of attention from the folks and so I called out seventy six. It is seventy five numbers there by started complaining that there's not enough if there were no one had that number so before I call for this vote I will say seventy six those in favor say aye. Those opposed no. Motion carried thank you. Mr chairman item Q. is a request from Comstock community college university of Arkansas institution is requesting three positions from higher ed Central growth pull requests for two academic tutors with the line at a Max of sixty four thousand dollars an academic adviser with the Lanham act's of seventy two thousand dollars the institution does not expect to pay the selected employees at the Max of probably in the range of thirty one thousand dollars for each one this brings the estimated cost roughly a hundred and thirty one hundred thirty two thousand dollars when you had match will increase the authorized total positions by three at at and the Department higher it has recommended the requested positions. Questions from the committee. C. nine is there a motion to approve. We'll okay. Senator Chesterfield just for personal privilege Mr answer to your question multiplying a hundred sixty students a year times thirty is a hundred forty eight thousand eight hundred students. Thank you ma'am. So that's right at a hundred fifty thousand. People that you've had influence on our lives. Thank you is there a motion to approve. Motion and a second those in favor say aye. Opposed no. Motion carried. Mr chairman item or is a request for the university of central Arkansas they're requesting one new associate vice president with the line item exponents sixty two thousand dollars position will work to lead and provide strategic direction for multiple areas in finance and administration division will oversee the housing facilities operations. You see plans to pay the selected employee between a hundred and twenty a hundred forty thousand dollars with matching and brings the estimated cost somewhere between a hundred and fifty eight hundred eighty five thousand dollars Department education is recommended the new position. Questions from the committee. Seeing none is there a motion to approve. Motion the second all those in favor say aye. Opposed no motion carried. Mr chairman I don't S. this is a request by the department of public safety or salary administration grid for classifications at the commission on law enforcement standards and training the greatest abortions a threshold or minimum salary for each of the listed officer classifications The New threshold is set at the mid point of the salary range for each grade all incumbents any new employees will be moved to that new threshold in income employees would receive an additional percentage increased based on service each current employee in the listed price for cations will receive point one five percent for each year of service with classed and an additional point nine five percent for each year in their current classification these tenure based increases will be based on their salary prior to moving into the new threshold special language authorized during the fiscal session will allow these employees risks that are receiving these increases to exceed the maximum salary of up to twenty percent over the Max the estimated cost of these adjustments is two hundred sixty three thousand dollars opium is recommended the requested salary. Okay questions from the committee. Motion the second. Those in favor say aye. Posebno. Motion carried. Mr chairman item T. is request also by the department of public safety for salary administration grid for classifications of the Arkansas state police the grid this grid like the previous one establishes a threshold or minimum salary for each of the listicles for cations with the exception of the major which is set at the mid point the new thresholds are set between the mid point in the maximum of the salary range for each grade all incumbents would be moved to the to this new threshold incoming employees would receive additional percentage increases based on service each current trooper Melissa classification will receive point one five percent for each year of service as a trooper any trooper in the corporal rank will receive an additional point two five percent for each year they have been in the corporate any trooper that is currently ranked as a sergeant or higher will receive an additional point nine five percent for each year in their current classification these tenure based increases like the previous will be based on their salary prior to moving into the new threshold they also have the special language that allows them to pay up to twenty percent over Max the estimated cost of these adjustments to seven point three million dollars opium is recommended the requested salary. Any questions. Given a buying opportunity I saw some movement around here of saying the question is is there a motion. Motion and second to approve those in favor say aye. Opposed no motion carried. Mr chairman items you as a salary grid requesting apartment finance administration for three classifications within their aces Division the requested grid will allow the agency to give up to give up to five percent increases every year to all employees in the software support software support a special and analyst positions as well as the DFA ERP analyst position once they meet specific specific tenure milestones the request is based on turnover when then the division and the inability to recruit retain employees the estimated initial cost of the grid will be thirty seven thousand dollars with continued cost each year that they provide the five percent increases opium is recommended the requested salary. How much that will cost. It's going to start out at thirty seven thousand okay. Any questions from the committee. Senate is your motion we approve. What we motion second. All in favor say aye. Posebno motion carried. Mr chairman like the previous item you item vis a seller good requests from the FAA for three classifications within the office of accounting requested agreed well the agency give five percent increases every year to employees in the cap for accountants in the if a statewide program coordinator positions once they meet specific ten year milestones the estimated initial costs of this will be thirty five thousand dollars with continue because each year they provide the five percent opium is recommended the requested salary grade. Any questions from the committee. Hey notice or motion to approve motion second to approve all in favor say aye. Posebno motion carried. Mr chairman when war agreed from DFA this is again a salary grid for three classifications of then revenue requested grid will allow them to pay up to five percent Give them five percent increases each year in the tax auditor tax in tax order two positions once the meeting your milestones the estimated initial cost would be three hundred eighteen thousand dollars with continued cost each year opium is recommended for roof recommended the requested salary grid. Questions from the committee. Sir motion to approve. Most as second all in favor say aye. Posebno motion carried. Mr chairman I to X. is a request from Arkansas tech university H. use asking to utilize code twenty one five Fortino nine revised one time one thousand dollar lump sum payments to other full time classified unclassified faculty employees as a cost of living adjustment yes many cost of the payments to seven hundred thousand dollars the Department higher it is approved and recommended the requested payments. Okay I missed Robison or would this be at the end of the fiscal year or are they different than other state employees. I would have to defer to the department of higher ed. To to answer the. If you would identify yourself and the then you're recognized to answer the question. Nick fuller with the division of higher education. With with this being a one time cost of living payment I believe once it is approved by the committee and the council on Friday it it may not be the next payroll but they might they could do it at any point by the end of the fiscal year there and I have to wait until June thirtieth okay it is a one time payment it's not at a rate increase okay all right thank you any other questions. All right to a hearing no other questions you use use to measure for thank you for your. answer the question for me of seeing no other questions is there a motion to approve. Motion the second to approve those in favor say aye. Pose no. Motion carries. Mr chairman item Y. this is a request from a issue Newport institution is utilizing the same code twenty one five fourteen oh nine to provide a graduated increase to classified employees based on tenure as a cost of living adjustment yes many cost of the increases will be about thirty three thousand dollars there if you the classified employees who receive lump sum payments in the salary increases because they're already the Max of their grade the Department higher education is recommended the requested payments. Questions about this request. We say none is there a motion to approve. Motion the second to approve all in favor say aye. Opposed no motion carried. Mr chairman items Z. this is a request from you in mass or special entry labor market rates for the listed nine classifications which will affect about two hundred employees hundred fifty employees the labor market rate will be set at thirty one thousand two hundred dollars which is between the mid point and maximum of the greats listed the labor market will better allow you a mystery crew ten employees in these positions the estimated cost to establish the labor market rate is six hundred fifty thousand dollars the Department higher it is recommended the requested rates. Questions from the committee. Seeing none your motion to approve. Most and second to approve all in favor say aye. Posebno. Motion carried. Mr chairman item eight a is a request from the university of Arkansas Fayetteville institutions requesting a second language differential for one employee in our parking control division individual uses Spanish as a second language for the vast majority of their working time the difference for a question the difference requested will allow you have to provide the employee with up to a ten percent salary add on while he works in his current position the percentages based on the employee's proficiency and speak the second language primer Department higher it is recommended the differential of the estimated cost is about three thousand dollars. Any questions from the committee. motion to approve. I was gonna say oh seventy six of motion is second all in favor say aye. Posebno motion to. All right Mister we're going to the next packets in the pile it says example BB one on the front of it so this is everything this package is part of item B. B. so this would be items B. B. one through B. B. five these are all items provided from the employee benefits division of the department transformation shared services that will need approval with the exception of ida B. B. five as a report only item BB one is request letter from EVD with the items to be approved by personal counsel B. B. one eighty is the minutes of the last board of finance meeting with the adopted measures requested here so we have ida B. B. two which is a report from the jerk Drug utilization and evaluation committee you have item B. B. three which is request to adopt the twenty dollar dispensing fee the pharmacies that handle in dispensed to new medications made by Pfizer and Merck that have been approved to treat COVID nineteen. Item B. four or B. four is a contract extension between EBT and the HMO partners incorporated the contract extension will be for forty five billion dollars for next year with one hundred and thirty four million having one hundred thirty four million having been paid to date HMO partners provides insurance administration claims and medical management actuarial services in the A. P. services to state and public school employees item BB five is a report only because it is already been approved to the emergency process the approved request provided EBT the ability to create to R. F. peas FOR Medicare for Medicare advantage plan interest I wish the pharmacy benefits manager Mr chairman that's items B. B. one three B. five. Okay Sir Chesterfield you're recognized for a question yes Mr thank you so much recognizing me eighty three. It says that the Arkansas pharmacists association would like to strongly and encourage the Arkansas employee benefits division to raise the fee. They want to raise the fee on themselves. no that is if the the if if I'm. They said they would like to strongly encourage the Arkansas employee benefits division yeah the state board of finance to a home the add an enhanced dispensing that Mister Berlin answer that question for you. Are we talk yes are we talking about paying those individuals who participate of those individuals who participate paying us I mean with that this review twenty dollar dispensing fee that we would pay to pharmacists okay to make the drug available this one to make sure thank you Mr okay yes Sir thank thank you ma'am. Thank you okay. Any other questions. Representative speaks. Thank you Mr chair maybe I don't know what I'm talking about it but is this on is this fade cut on this state or is it I don't individuals this would be on the plan so the employee benefits division plan which is paid for primarily by the state but also by employees of public schools and state agencies we maintained the funds in the insurance plan these are antiviral drugs that were made available to pharmacists by the federal government for free. they're important drugs there and there's a story on the front page of the paper this weekend actually on the availability of these drugs in order to make them available the pharmacist because of course they were available for free the pharmacists are able to they were losing money in effect on dispensing them they're my understanding is they are somewhat labor intensive drug to make available so the interest of making sure that these are available to our members we felt twenty dollars was a reasonable price to pay. Well I know and like I said maybe I don't know what I'm talking about but I know that some of the drugs for individuals have gone up so much they cannot hardly pay forum and that was why I was so concerned about this the members will pay anything for the socks that answers thank you thank. A representative speaks a little bit more background on that of these are are drugs that are specifically antiviral of food covid they are prescribed by the doctor according to the the regulation at the federal government came out and they have they have to go to the doctor to get a prescription then go to the pharmacist and the pharmacist has to sit down and counsel with them about the the pros and cons of these drugs and how to take them and what the response will be and so it takes them a private as much as a half hour to orient the the the client on how much is so. And these this is very limited of that is not going to affect a whole lot of people I don't think it has been we've done All of about two hundred so far across the state since this was approved in February so far as fiscal impact on the planets not significant cost. Okay. All right any other questions. Thank you Jake. Thank you see no other questions is there a motion to approve. Most and second those in favor say aye opposed no motion carried. One for yes. That that was baby one through baby four and then we get and the baby five and as a report only and requires no action correct Mr chairman items C. C. D. D. E. E. F. F. in the G. G. these are all reports required no action from the Committee but I'll take any questions the committee might have. Any questions. I see no questions. So seeing none. Okay okay. You senator says don't call Bravo seventy six. The so is is there anyone on the committee has anything that they'd like to say to address the committee. Anyone in the audience. Ma'am. What I want is to me I thank the chairman gets to recognize what we have those motions are not. Hearing a motion we adjourn all in favor say aye. Motion carried we adjourned.