Court kicks off strategic‑planning work: staff survey shows priority on compensation, recruitment and retention

Harney County Court received an update on strategic planning Sept. 16 after a follow‑up survey that yielded lower staff participation than the initial effort. Staff and the court said compensation, recruitment and retention emerged as the dominant themes and proposed forming a working group to refine a vision, mission and a set of measurable priorities.

Court members discussed inclusive selection for the working group, preferring an open invite with the option for participants to elect leadership and form subgroups if response is large. The expected deliverable is a short strategic packet with a vision, mission, and three to five measurable goals, each with owners, timelines and metrics. The court asked staff to aim for a completed draft by the end of the calendar year and link deliverables to the ongoing class‑and‑compensation study.

Why it matters: County workforce stability and pay policies were recurring meeting themes. A concise strategic plan with measurable goals would provide a roadmap for pay and retention work and support budget decisions tied to the class‑and‑compensation study.

Next steps: Staff will solicit volunteers and outline a working‑group charter; the court expects a draft plan for review and possible adoption before year‑end.