OROVILLE — Last year, to bolster its law enforcement and prosecutor numbers, Butte County opted to start programs that provide bonuses to new hires and transfers.
The Butte County Board of Supervisors will hear updates Tuesday on these programs and how they’ve been working thus far and then decide whether to continue them. They were first approved on Dec. 13, 2023 and have been in effect since.
The first is the hiring bonus for the positions of correctional deputies I and II. For these positions, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office has been offering a hiring bonus of $10,000 for new or entry-level employees and a lateral transfer bonus of $30,000. According to the agenda report, these numbers would remain the same in a new resolution to be presented by Human Resources Director Sheri Waters but what would change based on the proposed resolution is how the money is paid out.
The board previously approved a resolution in December that allows for the bonus to be paid out over three milestones with the final installment coming after a probationary period. The new resolution would change this to two milestones with the final amount provided after the new employee finishes the Field Training Officer program.
“Hiring Bonus Program costs, which are estimated to be between $110,000 and $333,000, depending on the mix of new hires and laterals, are recommended to be funded equally by two sources: Community Corrections Partnership one-time funds and 2011 Local Innovation Funds,” the agenda report reads. “The CCP has approved the use of the funds, and the Local Innovation Funds are under the control of the Board of Supervisors. The budget amendment for this action will take place at the end of the fiscal year once the actual costs are known.”
The next item covers the temporary Law Enforcement Referral Bonus Program which was approved on July 26, 2022. If approved, the $1,500 referral bonus will remain the same but will be paid in full upon hiring the referred employee.
Along with possible changes to Sheriff’s Office bonuses, a new retention system is being introduced for the Butte County District Attorney’s Office. This bonus, however, will focus on those currently employed full time with the office. The related staff report said full-time employees would receive a total of $15,000 with the first half provided on April 1, 2024 and the second half on April 1, 2025 if those employees are still on staff. The cost of the program comes out to approximately $300,000 and would be paid via Assembly Bill 109 funding.
“The budget amendment for this action will take place at the end of the fiscal year once the actual costs are known,” the agenda report reads.
In addition to the aforementioned bonuses for Sheriff’s Office employees, the office will also be pursuing a classification change for employees at the juvenile hall. The related agenda report states that Senate Bill 823 caused state-run facilities to close, putting additional strain on local juvenile halls.
“These new expectations of juvenile hall staff more closely align with the responsibilities of the Deputy Probation Officer series,” the report reads. “The consolidation of all Probation Department sworn positions into one classification series will improve the recruitment efforts and the addition of a Deputy Probation Officer III in the series will address department needs and support retention efforts.”
The Butte County Board of Supervisors generally meets at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at its chambers located at 25 County Center Drive, Suite 205 in Oroville. Meetings are free and open to the public. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
