JBC-Personnel

Two hundred. Just turned over mean. Good morning everyone and and call this meeting to order and and welcome to our first personal meeting at this legislative session I'm gonna go hadn't turned over that Tony with B. L. are and to get the agenda started. Thank you in chairman item one on the agenda B. one secretary of state secretary of state received ten pole positions during the interim for state capitol police the requested to add these to their appropriation bill during the fall hearings this increase to appropriation by ten and again this was reviewed during the fall hearing spending chairman and that's all I have for item B. one. Thank you M. I won't have anyone from the Secretary states office come up and explain that that self explanatory obviously we needed additional people that check in and work with the safety of our capital so we'll move on and the next item. And can I get a motion to approve item one on the agenda so moved a second. All right any discussion. All those in favor say aye. Apposed motion carries. Madam chairman we're gonna hold item B. to commissioner state lands over to move on to item and we're also gonna hold item B. three the member amendment for the health department where to move on to item for treasurer of the state this was sent to personnel due to a letter from the treasure want to increase their line item maximums for staff positions this is essentially the same at GB as as Lancashire request but we we held or that the increase is at the treasure of the State go from one percent to four percent based on different line and maxims they've also adjusted some classifications yeah they're ending summing creating a couple of new ones but there's no overall growth at the agency these line at a maximum changes are just the maximum allowed for the employee doesn't mean the employees are going to get up to four percent raise it just means that the the line of Max and their fate they have available to them will go up and if you look on page is twenty one through twenty three and these page numbers on the far bottom right hand corner of each page if you look at page twenty one to twenty three you'll see the adjustments that these one percent three four percent raises will will increase in the bill. Do we have someone here from the secretary State's office. I'm sorry the treasurer's office to discuss. Brent Wallace chief deputy treasurer for treasure million. Excuse me I have my own set of paperwork and then this set of paperwork and some a little out of order I was going by mine I apologize one moment please. Okay could and you had explain explain this to us just briefly I know we've done this I just want to recap refresh for everybody here right really I'd to focus kind of in on that greater when the four percent that was for senior investment manager obviously when you're dealing four and a half billion dollars we're trying to attract and retain the highest quality individuals that we can everyone else we try to stay within the cost of living one to one point four percent so that's where those kind of fell out obviously you know with these positions were looking for in a very technical individuals checks and balances with segregation of duties making sure that they're appropriate firewalls between all the various activities but I would be glad to answer any. Any questions. How did you guys come to these salary determinations you compare with other states in job duties or we have looked at other states and really just kind of base it off of what we've done in the past and continue to kind of just to get more in line. And do you know how many of your and how many of these positions and are maxed out in salary like raising the cat or the minimum you know how many areas at the top yes if you give me just one second sure. Just with a quick glance probably five or six okay. Anyone have any questions represented gene you're recognized. I think a moment thank you thank you madam chair of. The director investments that that's done away with it we've added to. Senior investment managers thank you for asking what we're just changing the title with the director of investment position it's just becoming another senior investment manager position okay and with that we're focused on creating equality within this position so that third two eyes overlooking the investment portfolio in not one singular person responsible for the strategy or investment decisions we wanna make sure that there's to that kind of agree on the direction that we need to go on with our investments. Follow up please. Who are the two senior investment managers who were we have one position that's open currently due to the death of an individual on our staff and we have Robert romantic who is that in the other position currently okay. Thank you thank you madam chair. Thank you Senator Stubblefield you're recognized. Thank you for your feedback of just some just a second. Kwara exactly what we holding of two and three. And well I know they've got a bill coming to the Senate and I was just looking to see what they anticipated those savings to be from that bill and to kind of talk about it in regard to their personal request to see if it's going to create efficiencies and less workload for some of their employees then I'd like to talk through that and wine and they have an increase in their quest verses and some of these bills they're passing and why they're not consignors efficiencies with the request so you have you have a piece of legislation that would not change the request. No I don't I just want to wait and see if that bill goes makes it through the Senate I know it's going to the house and then talk about some of those efficiencies at that time was fast okay. I commend thank you. Are there any other questions. Sandra have a motion to approve. The motion and a second any discussion all those in favor say aye. The personnel motion carries thank you. Madam chairman item five is the Department commerce this isn't personal because they grew by one position they received a miscellaneous federal grant and the intern which I requested to be added to their bill position was added and it's and it is an apprenticeship expansion coordinator position this was this was reviewed during the fall hearings in the fund on page twenty seven. As secretary Preston here. Share can speak to that speak to this thank you. Your state your name please. Good morning my question secretary commerce executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Could you H. director also skills development department common. Thank you madam chair this is in a position for our apprenticeship programs to some federal funds this is a growing need in our state we've identified the apprenticeship program we've certainly seen that across the state and electricity to a little bit about the specifics about the program and where we started it's come to this is something that our industries have been clamoring for for a while I'm glad we're finally being able to really address the situation. Yes earlier this year the also skills and applied for department of labor petition grant within that grant we were awarded four hundred fifty thousand dollars and as part of that submission we allocated salary for three years and seventy five thousand dollars a year for position at appropriate speak Spanish and efforts since twenty fifteen we've taken this program for about eighty three appreciate programs across the state to over a hundred thirty today we've increased our premises for about thirty two hundred up to seven thousand and actively engage in a little over twelve hundred employers across the state there's more federal funding coming from down from the department of labor for partnership this is a piece of our capacity building as part of our organization to make sure we had additional resource to make sure we were meeting the demand as industry whether it's in manufacturing I. T. healthcare we're starting to see much more than just the construction trades take part of this apprenticeship program as a talent recruitment workforce development retention policy and an initiative that they're taking on so with that be happy to answer any questions. Members are there any questions. Thank you all for coming to speak on this I was I thought it was important just to talk about the program again and I'm highlights some of the good work you guys are doing with that and I have a motion. Senate a second. Any discussion all those in favor say aye. Oppose now mission carries thank you thank you. Madam chairman item six is the minister of Office of the Courts. And I'd like to go ahead and hold that we've got some and and resolve issues that we're still working out with them and so like to move on to the next item. Yes ma'am item seven is the department of Veterans Affairs this isn't personal because of two additional positions that they received in the interim actually during the hearings other both maintenance technicians and again this was reviewed during the fall hearings and is incorporated into the bill I'm your findings on page forty nine. Members are there any questions on this. And C. nine I have a motion for approval. A second. Any discussion all those in favor say aye All opposed them motion carries thank you. Madam chairman item eight is for the public defender commission this isn't personal because of two positions received during the interim a systems a specialist in a program coordinator these were reviewed during the fall hearings are incorporated into their bill you'll see the on page fifty five. Is there anyone here and to speak on this. Please state your name and who you're with. Morning madam chair Greg parish Director of the Arkansas Public fender Commission. The two positions that you're seeing since the inception of the commission in nineteen ninety eight when we went on the state payroll we had one I. T. position during that entire time. that IT and we were short handed there and unfortunately regrettably that I. T. person Is still suffering from a life threatening illness is the best I can say and so we were thousand ninety person when this came to committee last year. and we were in desperate need of an additional so we're still down one basically while the other one's own family medical leave. The other coordinator is based upon our receiving additional we received into this our system the parent council program last year that last session also the. Fortner that we had at that time was like was suffering from a life threatening illness and regrettably. Didn't succumb to the illness as well. But the position is still needed because of the attitudes that we've taken on with our agency. Thank you sorry to hear about the loss of a staff member at member are there any questions. C. nine to have a motion for approval. Seventy second. And any discussion all those in favor say aye. All opposed no question carries thank you manager thank you Sir. Madam chairman will be moving on to number nine which is Northwest Arkansas committee color before we start I want to point out to the membership on your desk you have a legal size. Packet in what this legal size packet is these are this is what the committee personnel committee and A. L. C. JBC adopted during the fall hearings this is the net effect of the next changes for the institutions of higher education so what when we when we go through the bills we have the bills in front of us and and pack it in in the big package the changes you will kind of see on this document I've notated them with little dashes as we go through here the four years on the second page the two years skews me four years on the front page the two years or on the second page and measurement debate the questions please stop me so number nine which is H. B. twelve eighty four that's Northwest Arkansas community college this was sent personnel because they have a net increase of twelve positions from eleven hundred four to eleven hundred sixteen and these were reviewed during the fall hearings. Is there someone here from northwest Arkansas to speak to this. yes I'm sorry Mr fuller a deal and get through that briefly. Yes Nick fuller on the assistant director of finance at the division of higher education. You give me one second get to that. Position this is these are an increase for northwest is in there. Administrative there're not classified positions I think the majority of these are in their project program administrator positions. All. Just an increase in an additional staff I believe they're looking to open and at another like a workforce development peace and they need the administrative staff. Once that is open. They're up there also an increase of nine student services representatives that they were asking for that was recommended. You know and they had an student growth. Don't have that information with me and. I don't want to say yes and then come back and I think someone's here is not that I'm just curious if there was a student growth and to explain that need for increased imposition. Hi Senator this is yes state your name and who you're with for the record Grant Hodges with northwest Arkansas community college sentence or question our enrollment. is down from the twenty nineteen twenty twenty the academic year by about ten percent. So you know these positions would only be. Your field if necessary we did open up our new location in Springdale and Washington County. in twenty twenty so some of these positions could be used there. As Mr fuller said and nine of them are in the student services represented area helping students navigate the. Application and enrollment process. So. Yes Sir I just want to. yes helping students navigate the application and enrollment process so certainly as we gear up more for fall twenty twenty one we expect an increase in Roman back to our pre Kobe levels so having those positions could help as we see an increase applications which we hope to see and then on the project but the other three are for the project program administrators of folks working with our academic side. Thank you do and members have any questions. All right C. nine demolition for approval. At a motion and a second. And any discussion all those in favor say aye All opposed nay lesson carries thank you. Madam chairman item ten is for house bill thirteen oh seven Pulaski tech this is a personal because they have a net increase of four positions from eight ninety four to eight ninety eight and this also was reviewed during the fall hearings these are incorporated into the bill. Mr fuller we please and speak to that yes. On this the recommendation two years ago was for the eight hundred ninety eight positions and there was. An error on what we submitted for the bill draft and so the the total amount actually came out in the in the author has acted the eight ninety four so what we're doing is requesting to put back to that level that was recommended and approved two years ago. This is an increase we're trying to fix something that we messed up on two years ago or in a clerical error I'm in that position. And thank you and at the same question R. and if you guys experiencing growth of student declined I know you're district in maybe a technical error but. Good morning morning manager madam vice chair good morning I'm Margaret L. B. chancellor at you we Pulaski tech yes ma'am with the advent of coal but we have seen a decrease in our enrollment and hence we look at these positions AS in a whole we have not filled them on or being very judicious on our work and being very effective and efficient with the the total number of employees we have right now. Thank you you're welcome for any questions from members and represented gene. Thank you madam chair. I'm looking at the your fill positions or are you all still around five hundred fill positions are no Sir we are approximately about three hundred seventy five so right now you're three hundred seventy five yes Sir and you want to go to authorized eight hundred ninety eight we we want to to look at that more substantially and cut that number down at this at this time we don't need those that that number what a juror field positions this is this was the nineteen twenty year of if you all have four hundred ninety nine positions down your three seven to use the actual yes Sir okay what what what happened that you. Don't handle field position anymore we we had over time we had those positions I would say in the bank and. Back when we had eleven thousand students I think those positions are requested and and their and since twenty twelve are Roman has decreased its balanced itself out and don't need all those eight hundred positions so we're looking at all of that and we certainly like to work with neck and ADHD is we trim that number down to something that is effective for or institution and also very responsive to if we have a need in areas such as allied health our business and industry where we can add a position very quickly if we need that what is the place to take a moment this spring that's a very good question Sir were approximately at four thousand two hundred and I want to say forty two Hey did you say the height with eleven thousand yes Sir well okay. Thank you ma'am you're welcome Sir thank you madam chair. Thank you are there any other questions. S. the ninth of a motion to approve. S. second. And any discussion all those in favor say aye. I'll close now motion carries thank you. Madam chairman item eleven is house bill thirteen await this for Ozark a college just in person because of a net increase of one position from two hundred nineteen to two hundred and twenty this was reviewed during the fall hearings. Mr fuller yes this request is due to central positions that were approved in interim by the person or committee or simply requesting to have those added into their act on going basis that's what increases. Thank you. Carried interest yourself and say you're with. A good morning I'm doctor Richard dot president and Zarqa College madam chair good morning is pleasure to be here. I'd like to if I could I can explain the reason for that we have the of aviation flight program professional pilot programs that incidentally is the by far the lowest cost such programs country dramatically less costly for attention seeking you become professional pilots and so it's as a result it's been word is has gotten out the and we have we've had international students students from all over country mostly our Kansans of I'm proud to say and so we went from a a basic AMP airframe and power plants mechanic if a certified mechanic is significantly increased our fleet of aircraft now leasing more than purchasing it's much more cost effective and as such we've had to contract out of four I a services that's inspector aircraft is a higher level certification to the FAA so that's that's pretty costly over time so we with the growth in the need for and I a certified can't inspector we've added this because we're adding this position so that we can save significant dollars down the road terms of preventing having a contract plus the availability of having someone like that full time at the college for the flight program keeps the aircraft in years students line. Thank you did you say how much your that program is brand. Of last year approximately we were about twenty four we were thirty five or thirty six students this year in under the pet pandemic and we've taken extensive cleaning sterilization majors as you as you would expect not apply programs summer R. State stating here is to get training students throughout the pandemic but we were we were very very strict about taking preventive measures and and we've been successful with that that's great news glad to see you've got a program getting so well thank you are there met at questions from any members. Thank C. nine and motion to approve. Motion a second any discussion all those in favor say aye all of this now motion carries thank you thank you very much. Madam chairman item twelve is house bill thirteen ten this is for Black River technical college this isn't personal because they have a net increase of two positions from two hundred fifty four or two hundred fifty two to two hundred fifty four these were reviewed during the fall hearings. This is on page eighty one. This is also and recommendation for central pole position that a private approved to be added into the. Good morning I'm Karen Lee Palmer vice president of institutional advancement with Walker technical college the two positions that we have one of them is a combination of the two classified positions that we have transformed into a At. Non classified sorry I couldn't get a word at that position we took two positions we had a retiree and we can find it and so we have one person covering both of those the other one is a position that was requested also in two thousand and nineteen for our allied health programs and it was a academic adviser for nursing and allied health we had about four hundred and twenty nine nursing students and we didn't have enough faculty to do the advising said the RN program director and the P. and program directors we're doing all the advising in addition to all other other roles and are are in program director was also president of the state board of nursing so they decided to actually support the students they needed a position that was the specifically there for that so this position is there to help students succeed in its for advising and enrollment finding resources since many of our students are single parents or our parents I'm in a lot of them also work so finding resources for them. Wonderful thank you thank you there any questions from members. C. nine Devin motion to approve. Thank you and second. And. Yes I think yes and any discussion all those in favor say aye opposed no motion carries thanks so much. Madam chairman item thirteen is house bill twelve eighty nine this is a issue Mountain Home this isn't personal because they have net increase of one position from one ninety eight to one ninety nine and was reviewed during the fall hearings. Mr filler manager at the this increases also from growth positions is what upsets to the net increase otherwise it would have had a reduction. And Broadway you're recognized. Thank you madam chair members of the committee this is this was a pole position that was requested and approved by personnel in Legislative Council back last year this is the separation of duties in terms of and we did not have any more administrative positions if you look on which truck you're looking at but we were out of administrative positions and so so we had to request a pool position this is for a human resources services as been split out from finance administration just due to the amount of duties required. And has a issue Mountain haven't seen an increase in student. it depends on the year sometimes yes this is more administrative function then dealing with growth or anything else is just trying to. You had some people who were over loaded and so the chance to read a decision that was best to split this out. More of administrative reorganization I guess is what I would say okay thank you questions for many members. Scene nine died a motion to approve. Second any discussion all those in favor say aye All opposed no motion carries thank you. At next is no you're fine Arkansas state university and Three Rivers yes madam chairman issue Three Rivers I was so depressed now because they have a net increase of ten positions from two hundred twenty five positions two hundred and thirty five and these were reviewed during the fall hearings they are incorporated in the bill on page and start on page eighty nine. This is this is going to be the the largest of the two year increases but this is associated with the opening of the new center and selling County for three rivers is a majority of the positions will be for. Okay yes thank you manager Nick probably answered everything I need to say the US Lincoln career center being built along interstate thirty between the Haskell in hot springs exit if you're going it would be on your right hand side of the house initially around five hundred students potentially can go up to a thousand students will open this fall paid for that a county sales tax and Susan this link and in order to build this facility a hundred and thirty five thousand square feet facility that will open this fall so that is the reason will be adding additional staff to cover those programs. Thank you questions for many members. C. nine other motion to approve. And a second. At any discussion all those in favor say aye opposed no motion carries a committee member of the committee thank you madam chairman item fifteen is Southeast Arkansas College this was said personal because of an increase of two positions from three hundred sixty two three hundred and sixty two these were reviewed during the fall hearings you'll find these starting on page ninety three. These are going to be again central positions that were approved during the interim or requesting to be added to the appropriation act. If you please enter this or self is there with for the record good morning madam chair Stephen Blumberg president Southeast Arkansas college good morning members of the committee as these are two overall positions that are central positions that were respectfully requesting to be added to our bill one is a database administrator helping with the increase in our student information system for adding new software that helps us connect with our students the other is a budget specialist position at work from the office of our chief financial officer we have an entertaining questions madam chair that you were the committee members may have. Committee at represented gene you're recognized for a question. Thank Medicare member just kind of curiosity what's the enrollment of southeast residents a good good question if I if I may process so pre pre code if I may for referred to that so fall of twenty nineteen Southeast Arkansas college actually increased in enrollment thirteen percent from fall twenty eighteen fall of twenty nineteen so we were on an upward growth trajectory so right now in the spring unfortunately that is not remain the same but we set our spring twenty twenty enrollment target as are I'm sorry spring twenty twenty one enrollment target the same for spring twenty twenty which was a thousand credit students so we're not counting concurrent students as of today were at nine hundred and forty store about six percent to go to our goal and so we're okay I mean obviously we would love to get that enrollment target representing I think given all the circumstances we're continuing to see at least as stable as possible and enrollment but again Cree cove and we're actually on a very nice upward growth trend with new degree programs that we've added. Follow up. I see in nineteen twenty go ahead three hundred fifty two position fit worry all at now position filled. On positions filled were approximately hundred and sixty hundred sixty two given given our our growth in some programs and you're right we do have some flexibility obviously one of the things that we always do is look to see how many of those positions have flexibility so we can add giving example we have a new program logistics management that was just approved by the court knitting Board a week ago that contains a new commercial driver's license program of a significant employment opportunity in Southeast Arkansas and the state will use of a position that we have now to fill that so some of those are certainly flexible positions that we can fill of needed programs with others would probably need to look at to see what the total number is but we're we're about a hundred sixty two people right now representing thank you thank you madam chair. Thank you are there any other questions. C. nine to have a motion to approve. And a second. Any discussion all those in favor please say aye All opposed nay moshing carries thank you thank you madam chair members of the committee. Man chairman item sixteen is Senate bill two fifteen this for the university of central Arkansas this isn't a person because of an increase of two positions from two thousand two hundred eighty eight two thousand two hundred ninety this was reviewed during the fall hearings from German. This is also going to be a situation of the central role full positions that were approved during the interim. At Mr Gillen you'll state your name and who you're with for the record you're recognized. Can you hear me OK Jeremy Gillam university of central Arkansas. Better okay. Jeremy Gillam university of central Arkansas at we are like most every other institution state where we have seen to do to cope with some and Roman drop thankfully ours was fairly stable and was a small percentage of a drop and through that we continue to see though targeted increases in specific student populations freshman business majors health sciences things like that so do that adjustment even though our overall enrollment new graduate students things like that may have dipped a little bit we do have some targeted increases in that he is while we have requested these positions. Thank you are there questions from the. Scene and a motion to approve. The motion the second. And any discussion all those in favor please say aye. Opposed no motion carries thank. Man chairman item seventeen is Senate bill two eleven this for the University of Arkansas for medical sciences descent person because of a net increase of one position from eleven thousand five hundred fifty eight to eleven thousand five hundred fifty nine this was reviewed during the fall hearings you'll find this on page one of seven. This is also a growth position that was added in the interim that is being requested otherwise you M. S. had no request. And yes someone here from you M. S. thank you. Please state your name and who you're with for the record. Good morning madam chair Maurice reads the vice chancellor for institutional relations UAMS UAMS I think the increase for the position was related to the recruitment of our Cancer Institute Director so the increase of four by chance a position but as you know as institution we have been responding to the pandemic and a number of ways so we try to maintain our employee base to make sure we can provide excellent care education and research for the state we've had a increase in the number of applications for students we have over three thousand students we have employees all over the state so we appreciate your support in helping us to maintain the work force to respond to the need healthcare needs of our citizens in Arkansas. Thank you are there any questions from the committee he said this is specific to the Cancer Institute to direct went there it was there in and around and we recruited Cancer Institute Director from you A. B. in Alabama and we did have an available a vice chancellor position at that time so that was the reason for the change I very good thank you M. C. no questions and I have a motion to approve motion the second. Any discussion all those in favor please say aye. It is now motion carries thank members for XP. Man chairman item eighteen is a bill to nineteen this is for the University of Arkansas System office this isn't personal because they have a net increase of eight positions from seventy nine to eighty seven this was reviewed during the fall hearings in is included in their bill which begins on page one seventeen. Energies yourself. Yes sure hi Melissa rust university of Arkansas system. Thank you tells a little bit about and this position the sale was one position I'm sorry actually a net and this is it he tells that. yes madam chairman within the University of Arkansas System and this requesting our server and it seven different campuses that formed the basis for this request six of the seven of those campuses have no new request for positions one office it does is the system office and their we have a net of eight new positions that are being requested couple years ago some of you may remember that we brought before the legislature number contracts having to do with the creation and implementation of an inter enterprise resource planning system ERP system of that would get all twenty of our campuses on the same finance human resources and student information platform and in the process of doing so we have determined we have been doing that with provisional positions thus far but we knew all along that at some point in time we would need some permanent positions to help administer and operate of this particular system on an ongoing basis those eight positions include I'm a finance lead and three individuals that would work with that finance lead and then a human resources lead and three individuals that would work with that person as well and so these were these request for a positions are specifically related to the R. P. project to get all of our campuses on the same our system. And can you help me understand how and these positions will directly serve students. Well what we're trying we're trying to do Senator Davis is have a system where we have all of our campuses will let me back up last July one we had to we have two cohorts of campuses July one of last year the first cohort of our campuses transitioned over to the finance and HR platforms in on July one of this year and twenty twenty one the second cohort of our campuses will transition over so that we have every campus on the same finance and HR systems point before we started this project we had campuses on a multitude of different systems where they were finance or HR and to be quite candid from the system office perspective we had to rely on information being provided to us by the campuses as opposed to us of the system office being able to see both of the finances as well as the HR functions of our campuses the student peace is the third piece of the student information piece which clearly will incorporate and address any all issues you know relative to admissions enrollment financial aid and other matters of that nature you know specific to our students I'm I will say that I did ask our director of the R. P. project to be here today in the event you had some specific questions and maybe me on my a knowledge base in in if there are additional questions I'd be happy to meet your permission to have him come in address to committee as well. Are there at questions from any member of the committee represented gene. You are recognized thank you madam chair is rushed. This is not to do what what we're dealing with that the the division of ag which we've we've gone to bat for to help again it's funding to the several years of sea nineteen twenty. Go ahead bill twelve hundred sixty to fill positions do you know where that stands today and they're working to get that for me. You and looking at the budget forms that were put together for budget hearings it shows the Division having one thousand two hundred sixty to fill positions it may be somewhat different at this point because obviously that was a snapshot in time back in the spring we put these numbers together but I can certainly get you know Phyllis too far off that I don't I don't believe so no Sir I've been I'll be happy to follow up and and get that information for okay thank you thank you manager. Thank you are there any other questions thirty nine I have a motion to approve. A second. Any discussion. All those in favor please say aye. Is no motion carries thank you. Madam chairman item nineteen is Senate bill two twenty four this is for Senate Arkansas university attack at a recent personal because they have a net increase of one position from two thirty nine to two hundred and forty this was reviewed during the fall hearings and will begin on page one twenty three. I'm sure this is a central position again as well for this the maintenance manager that was added in the interim four ACT. Okay yes please introduce yourself yes Jessica Morrison chance services you tax. And you just said it was a maintenance position. I'm sorry yes ma'am okay was that a maintenance manager maintenance classified positions at any yes yes I have a better opportunity for us to compete with dairy industries you know we said in the middle of the defense industry in Camden Arkansas in this position will help us attract basically what will serve as an assistant director of physical plant at at even though we're still about seven dollars an hour or less than what they pay in industry but are benefit package does he call out some of that to help us recruitment system director. Thank you and other questions from any members of the committee. Same nine drive a motion to approve motion a second. All those in favor of a. Any discussion I'm sorry. Okay sure and no discussion all those in favor please say aye. Posebno motion carries thank you and that Mr filler we've got a question for you from Representative eat. Hi Mister FOR could help me understand. And and this is on the public something we created years ago but. You know. And I'm sorry the represented Williams not here because he would probably ask this so we have twenty three hundred ninety seven unfilled positions where I'm seeing that and we keep adding more more positions and still have a this number of unfilled positions I mean is there. If we take that away I understand it's going to cause issues with no insurance and employee benefits and all that I mean is there some magic number we can get to that's a reasonable amount because I mean literally that's you know half nearly it seems like a close third anyway. Is there any thought help me understand that we are we are committed to making a and intensive review of this before we come into the next session on whether any of these vacant positions can be reduced on each of the campuses as teams bring their request during the session to the coordinating board we do look at on the on the position level they're asking for an increase we do look at how many vacant they have of that title before making a recommendation for any increases so they're asking for five more but they've got three four five vacant positions we don't recommend the new positions or will recommend one trying to cut down on the amount of the those vacant that are out there but there are there's there's colleges today or or even not just because of any agency really that has a pretty good number of you know vacant positions and then they come before us asking for more positions and that seems to be. Yes Sir. In which we have not looked at it on it on a global scale further the total number of positions because there may be some that are they don't ask for new ones for so we're not looking at the vacant level but we are going to look at that before we come to you for the fiscal session looking to see if there's more of those that have a large number of vacant so we can reduce those numbers the on on the institution side those vacant positions don't count toward the insurance payments and everything because we don't. The collection person this is always an issue we're dealing with in other agencies but it seems to be that there has to be some way to get that number down over gonna just restructure the whole thing yes yes Sir and on on these two so we do try to keep a few eggs additional ones for the flexibility on the the faculty and edition all cleaning staff things like that because once the act is passed you know we could have fluctuations in enrollment coming into the fall when the act is already past three months four months prior to that so we need to have a little bit of flexibility but you're right we do need to look at that and say thank you for. Thank you Mr color for shaded. Thank members chairman we're moving on to regular business this is the second packets that you have to start with the item C. and we are going to skip over item C. that was at at I was actually pulled by the agency and office personnel management so we can skip over C. and go straight to items D. which is that miscellaneous federal grant position from the department health this is for the prescription drug monitoring program the appropriation in the positions themselves review by peer review on January twenty sixth personnel is only responsible for reviewing the requested classifications which here's a registered pharmacist and health program specialists to and opium has recommended that requested classifications for these two positions. Are there at. Is doctor mera are you here. If you don't mind. Please. You'll state your name and who you're with for the record. General secretary of. And I understand that these are and federally funded and if you just tell us a little bit more about them. We push the button again please read as. I thank you. Thank you madam chair of these two positions or part of a federal grant received from the department of justice these positions will actually be going out in the field and working with our pharmacists and dispensers to help to education and technical assistance and the required reporting in our PDMP system so currently this program has three staff members and this would allow us to have staff to actually go out and do Steckel assistance in the field. Thank you M. R. their questions from members of the committee. Scene nine drive a motion to approve. Second. Any discussion I will say Dr Meredith this is probably the shortest time had to be in front of the committee we appreciate you being here thank you all those in favor please say aye opposed no motion carries thank you. Madam chairman items he is a request from the department of labor licensing to transfer three positions to their shared services division within the department of labor licensing this is well one positions in an executive assistant to the director and then there's two extra help positions these be utilized between the various ports that fall under labour and licensing OPM has recommended the requested transfers. Good morning. Thank you and chairman members of the committee duralast so that the secretary of labor licensing initially we were intending to call your attention to for positions since that initial request we have eliminated the need for one doing some internal workarounds and so we only call your attention to a request for Sri. Excuse me. It's not cold with our recent. none of the three positions that we're requesting today will involve any any indirect costs to the boards they'll only be charged as requested and then only if they if they have the requisite funds of for the funding the first position is the executive director assistant to the director of IT but involves two different agencies within my department appraisers and geology this position is a car is currently a full time position with the appraisers licensing board we don't see a need for a full time position at geology because that work is largely seasonal and with the help of a of some grants we've been able to substantially automate most of those procedures so the boards have agreed to share this position which is which is excellent the employees going to be paid by these two boards based only on the hours that they work for each board the and so the process that we're going to now transferring the transferred a transferring to shared services is the only mechanism that's going to allow us to be able to effects effectuate that sharing process support to know that both boards will see salary savings as a result of of this process the other two positions are extra help positions of both extra help positions are currently within our department of labor most of the boards and commissions that we got from transformation did not have extra help positions and so consequently during your seasonal highs of of of renewals they we found that they have a need for that for for some assistance second position of course is an administrative law judge position that position is currently and the department of labor and has been used in that. Capacity we did a legal we did an analysis of the legal services that were needed by the twenty one different entities and we found that they have a need for that service now you may point to the Attorney General and they do provide legal services but not often for these types of hearings and so that's that position so we would appreciate your support of for this request. You said that first position would lead to savings. Yes correction is and will that be savings that will actually see or will that just be money redirected somewhere else you know that'll be actually savings will see because of the we won't have a need for a geology of full time position is currently it's a full time position since we've automated those services largely over the last two three months we we will actually see actual savings okay well that's good to hear thank you M. R. their questions from members of the committee. C. nine to have a motion to approve the motion and a second any discussion all those in favor please say aye. OPPO's nine motion carries thank you thank you. Madam chairman of items F. G. H. and I our reports to the committee they require no action these are reports in part of higher is and the department of correction for the community correction if members have any questions I'll take those at this time otherwise we have no other action by Mr are there any questions from members of the committee on those reports. All right C. nine we are adjourned thank you.