Subcommittee approved three personnel items: parks position swap, bonus plans, and health position reinstatement

The subcommittee voted on three personnel items during its March 19 session.

Item B (review): The Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism requested to surrender three administrative coordinator positions in exchange for one park superintendent, one maintenance supervisor and one park manager to be used at Blanchard Springs State Park. The estimated cost once filled is roughly $264,000 (including match), funded by conservation special revenues. The Office of Personnel Management recommended the swap. The committee moved for review and the motion carried.

Item C (approval): The Department of Commerce requested approval of a special compensation plan to pay lump-sum bonuses up to $5,000 to employees who completed milestones migrating unemployment insurance systems to the cloud (estimated cost ~$105,000). The Department of Veterans Affairs requested recruiting bonuses of $2,000 for certified nursing assistants at the Fayetteville and North Little Rock State Veterans Homes (estimated cost ~$100,000). Committee members asked whether these are one-time payments within current funding; staff confirmed they are one-time and must be funded by the agencies. The motion to approve carried.

Item D (approval): The Department of Health requested reinstatement of a previously frozen position so the State Medical Board can use a listed fiscal support manager; transcript cites Arkansas code "21 5 2 2 6" as the statutory requirement. Estimated cost: ~$70,000 in salary plus ~$28,000 in match. The motion to approve carried.

All three motions passed by voice vote during the meeting; the transcript records "Aye" with no roll-call tallies provided.