AISWCD RESOLUTION 2005-5

TURNOVER TASKFORCE ACTION

WHEREAS, the Turnover Taskforce was formed by the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts in November 2000 to address reasons for and ways to reduce employee turnover in the 98 Soil and Water Conservation Districts.  Following are the steps taken by the Turnover Taskforce:

  1. A survey was mailed to all SWCD employees, USDA/NRCS employees, and SWCD Directors.
  2. Survey results indicated the need for director training, employee benefits, and employee compensation as the top three concerns attributing to the turnover rate of district employees.
  3. Pay Scale Subcommittee was formed in April 2002 to address the issue of compensation.

WHEREAS, the Pay Scale Subcommittee was formed for the purpose of establishing a pay scale for the following reasons:

  1. To give every District Board the opportunity to pay fair salaries.
  2. To give Employees the incentive to do a better job and develop professionally.
  3. Retain valuable and productive employees.
  4. To provide state-funded line item monies to pay employee salaries.
  5. Simplify and provide consistency in the contract/employee evaluation process.

WHEREAS, this information has been presented through:

  1. Handouts and PowerPoint and made available on DARTS.
  2. A presentation to Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation District Outlook Committee.
  3. A presentation to the Illinois Soil and Water Conservation District Employee Association.
  4. A presentation to all 16 Land Use Councils.
  5. A presentation to Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation District Board.

WHEREAS, the Turnover Task Force and Pay Scale Subcommittee found the first order of business is to secure the AC salary as a line item on the Operations Grant, and that Director Support and Training is Essential to Success of the Pay Scale Proposal and

WHEREAS, the findings of the Turnover Task Force and the Pay Scale Subcommittee were approved by the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts Board and the Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts Employees Association.

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts begin in fiscal year 2006 aggressively lobbing Illinois State Legislators in an effort to secure and channel funds for all districts in the state to meet the objectives of the Turnover Task Force.

Approved by Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District:   April 25, 2005

Approved by Western Illinois Land Use Council 8:  June 2, 2005

Approved by Executive Committee: June 6, 2005

Approved by Legislative Committee: June 6, 2005

Approved by Resolutions Committee: June 6, 2005

Approved by AISWCD Board: June 7, 2005

Resolution 2005-5 PASSED on August 1, 2005
The AISWCD waged a successful campaign to increase operations funding for SWCDs by $1,055,000 for FY 07.  The Turnover Task Force met May 23, 2006 and voted to send a letter to the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Land and Water Resources requesting consideration of a 3.5% cost of living increase for all ACs and RCs and the establishment of a base salary line for Administrative Coordinators as recommended in the final Task Force report.

The letter included a request for the Bureau to collect and maintain training and experience point values for SWCD employees in an effort to begin implementation of the Turnover Task Force Pay Scale Subcommittee’s recommendations