Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

County has 23 openings currently

POLK COUNTY—The Polk County Board of Commissioners decided to extend a sign-on bonus for new hires with the county. 

Commissioners met last week and heard from county manager Marche Pittman. 

Pittman said unfortunately, when the county did the retention resolution, county officials were hoping the market would turn around and that has not happened. He said the county has 23 openings. 

“We’re going to look at it on a quarterly basis,” Pittman told commissioners. 

The new resolution will take the sign-on bonuses through the end of the fiscal year. 

The sign-on bonuses include $1,000 for some new employees. 

Following is the updated resolution commissioners approved last week: 

 

Polk County Recruitment and Retention Resolution

WHEREAS, Polk County North Carolina, like most regions across the State and

Country is experiencing a much higher unemployment rate than normal; and

WHEREAS, Polk County Local Government has had a large number of vacancies in different County departments, including emergency services; and

WHEREAS, these positions have remained vacant for an extended time period, using all the standard recruitment strategies and methods; and

WHEREAS, we understand, and are sympathetic to other business and organizations experiencing the same staffing difficulties, however, the services Polk County Local

Government employees provide to the citizens are deemed essential, and many positions are statutorily required, and provide emergency and life safety functions in the community.

Therefore, be it resolved the Polk County Board of Commissioners enact the following temporary recruitment and retention measures:

1. Full-time non-exempt emergency personnel working in the following departments: Sheriff, Jail, Animal Control, School Resource Officers, EMS, and 911 Communications, at the discretion of the County Manager, may will be paid overtime hours instead of accruing compensation time beginning in the June 6-19, 2022 pay period. 
2. Any new person who accepts a position with Polk County Local Government between September 7, 2021 and June 30, 2022 will receive a one thousand dollar ($1,000) hiring bonus after they complete the customary probation period.