Details on risk management sought

Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson is looking for more information when it comes to workers compensation claims and employee turnover.

Johnson's request for information was placed on the agenda for Monday's Board of Supervisors meeting. He said he wants to see specifics on the issues; specifically why employee turnover has not been reduced even after the Board approved a significant pay hike.

“I'm looking to see how it's breaking down by department. To see if one department has a higher turnover rate than other. We were at 18 percent and we're still at 18 percent. Did anything change?” Johnson said. “Let's look what the problems are and try to address them.”

At the April 17 meeting, the board was given updates by Richard Weldon, who heads up the county's risk management program, and Human Resources Director Geoff Riches. Both said their departments have implemented new measures to ensure success and Riches spotlighted an across-the-board 10 percent pay hike enacted by the board effective January as one of the measures hoped to retain employees.

“We've reduced some of our turnover but we still have some. We were hoping the 10 percent would affect our turnover rate. We're seeing some progress but I think it's going to take some time until we see a full effect on the turnover,” Riches told the board April 17.

An outside consultant has also been retained to review the cause and possible steps that can be implemented to halt the high rate of employee turnover in the county. That report is expected to be brought before the board of supervisors as part of their discussions on the 2006-07 budget. And annual salary step-adjustments are expected to be implemented next year.

“Workman's comp has had such a drastic reduction I just want them to explain to us in a little more detail how they've accomplished that,” said Johnson.

Weldon's department implemented new safety measures, including a defensive driving program, which each employee goes through 60 days into employment. They must also re-train after two years. Weldon said he based the new safety program on those implemented by Scott Paper and Kimberley-Clark, two companies that at one time operated a plant on Mohave County's I-40 Industrial Corridor.

“We went from 38 lost-time accidents in 1999 and a total of 322 days away from work, to two lost-time accidents with a total of 30 days away from work,” Weldon said on April 17.

With slightly more than more than 1,200 employees, the county has spent $41,000 on workers compensation this year, compared to $64,000 in 2005. All of the 2005 claims are closed and the county has saved $316,000 over the last two years in worker's compensation insurance premiums.

The board is also expected to receive an update on the feasibility of converting the old Lake Havasu City Senior Center into a morgue. The board of supervisors meets Monday at 9:30 a.m. in Kingman.

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