Director’s DE S K over here and let’s chat a while.”
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“Yeah, Jim, it’s me,” he shouted back. Te man on the train, Jim Murphy, yelled out, “Well, come on
So Dave stopped what he’d been doing and joined Jim Murphy in his private air-conditioned railroad car for almost an hour, no doubt happy to get out of the broiling sun. When the con- versation ended, he made his way back to his crew working on the track. Te flabbergasted crew stared at him in utter shock and said something to the effect of, “Tat was Jim Murphy, the president of the railroad.”
Dave knew Jim Murphy, the president of the railroad, to say nothing about he got to be such good buddies with the man and on a first-name basis to boot!
Dave explained: “Well, it’s quite simple — when I started with the railroad over 20 years ago, Jim Murphy started at the same time; we’ve been pals ever since.”
Now the crew is astonished as much as they are confused. Tey want to know how it is that Dave and Jim Murphy started working for the railroad at the same time and Murphy rose to such dizzying heights while old Dave is still working on the track in the hot sun. How in God’s name did that happen?
20 years ago Jim Murphy went to work for the railroad; I went to work for a $1.75 an hour.”
Many of our county officials and managers started as coun- ty employees some years ago. Tey have moved up in the ranks because they didn’t go to work for a salary — instead they went to work for the county and the greater purpose that it represents.
through my years in county government, and I can attest that the collective people in county government in this state are by far the best resource we’ve got.
With this said, I’ve taken some time to reflect on our role at the association and how we can help each of you recognize this valuable resources. In many of our counties the pay has been flat and benefits have stagnated, a problem amplified in the public sector during trying economic times. Unfortu- nately this does not mean that costs haven’t risen, nor does it mean that private sector jobs might not look more appealing.
Bottom line is that in county government, we have to focus
improvement on those things that we can control. And the AAC has been hard at work in five areas that have been or will soon be introduced to help make county jobs appealing and to improve the lives of those who work for counties:
•
Benefits Program — In existence for a few years, our benefits program utilizes the buying power of 15,000 county employees, 7,000 poll-workers and another 15,000 volunteer firefighters to obtain discounts for group members. You can best access member benefits by going to the
www.arcounties.org web site and click- ing on “Publications Library.” Te directory of AAC
8 I have been so proud to have worked with many of you Dave looked wistfully up into the sky and said, “A little over
“Yup, it sure was,” Anderson said. Tey all gathered around and excitedly wanted to know how
member benefits is the first publication that appears in the library. Next time you interview for a position in your office, make sure you have a copy of this with you. Tere are very few employers in this state that can offer the discounts to employees that we have put together. Tis program works!
• Wellness Program — Our Member Benefits Man- ager Becky Comet has promoted physical wellness to county employees through our magazine and directly through speeches and an annual “Biggest Loser” com- petition. Few folks around the state have access to such an inspirational resource as Becky, and with her help our county employees have lost tons and have been motivated to keep wellness as a priority.
• Financial Wellness — We have reached out to Ramsey Solutions about a potential partnership with Dave Ramsey’s company on a financial wellness curricu- lum. Many of you are aware of this group’s outreach through financial peace avenues — but did you know they also have a plan dedicated to government employ- ees and used throughout the country? We will soon be working with them. More to come on this front.
• Emotional Wellness — Emotionally, government jobs can be extremely draining … from the 9-1-1 operator fielding terrible phone calls to the deputy working horrible scenes. Unfortunately even our office jobs attract those who take extra liberties to fuss at us simply because taxes and potholes are disagreeable to them. We have worked hard to make mental health a portion of the conference curricula, whether it is your individual association conference or the AAC annual conference. Additionally, we have worked closely with Southwest Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to provide a low cost benefit that we will begin sharing with our counties in the coming days. Already used in Pulaski County, this could be a valuable and cost effec- tive benefit to counties that choose to team up. More to come on this front as well.
• Management Guidance — Nothing helps an office atmosphere like good management. Your employees look up to you as office managers and elected officials, and it is important to utilize good tools in order to be effective. We will do our part by working to bring you new conference programs which might help on this front, and we have already teamed up with such a speaker for some upcoming events. Te simple best benefit for good employees is to be led with respect and care, and we want to make this possible with both speakers and an abundance of material on the matter.
I am excited about new tools on the horizon. As servant- leaders you all have a heart to help the people of your county, and those who work for you are an extension of this spirit. I encourage you all to take some time to also serve those who work for you. Tink outside the box about those benefits you can offer that make your office environment one that acknowl- edges the greatest resource you have … county employees.
COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2016
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