County to give department heads more hiring clout
By Suzanne Werre
BHG News
McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd Erickson presented the first reading of a new county hiring policy in an effort to give department heads more input into who is being hired.
‘I believe our current hiring policies are not up to date," said Erickson, particularly with the Sheriff’s Department, adding that the department is now able to do much more expansive background searches on candidates.
The policy, in part, says that county commissioners could be involved in the interview process.
However, added Erickson, he believes that the heads of the department should be able to have more input into who advances to an interview.
Deputy Auditor Lori Foss said that it makes sense to have the department heads involved in the hiring process, but that if those doing the screening choose someone they think should be interviewed, everyone else who ranked higher than that person in the screening process also will need to be interviewed.
"I don’t want to get in the situation of ‘who you know’ and not ‘what you know’," said Foss.
