Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
This study session featured detailed presentations from the Human Resources department and the city's benefits consultant, followed by discussions on several legislative items scheduled for the upcoming council meeting. Topics included HR metrics, health insurance changes, a bridge replacement grant, a tax levy resolution, a record plan for a fueling station, salt purchase, and a public works monument sign. The session concluded with a motion to enter executive session.
HR Department Update: Leanne, the HR Manager, presented an overview of the department's activities from August 2024 to September 2025. Key statistics: 161 full-time staff, 230 part-time staff (fluctuating to 300), 409 full-time applicants, 164 full-time panel interviews, 133 total hires (28 full-time, 105 part-time). The average full-time tenure is 8.81 years, and the average employee age is 41.86. The turnover rate is 12.42%, in line with the Ohio state average of 11-14%. The department completed a safety walk with BWC, achieving a $2,572 premium savings from the safety council and an estimated $1,100 from the substance use program. Text Care, a virtual doctor service, saw 97 visits from January to August, with 58 distinct patients (33 employees, 25 dependents). The department is moving to a new learning management system (LexiPOL) in 2027. Upcoming projects include open enrollment and a health and wellness fair in May 2027.
Benefits Presentation – Health Insurance Market & Jefferson Health Plan: Trisha Wall of McGone Braybender explained the health plan funding mechanisms (fully insured, self-funded, ICHRA, direct contracting). Vandalia is currently self-funded with United Healthcare. The city received a 29% renewal increase on its stop-loss premium from United Healthcare. To achieve long-term stability, the city plans to join Jefferson Health Plan (JHP), a consortium of over 250 public sector employers covering 30,000 employees. JHP offers single-digit stop-loss increases. The move is projected to save approximately $82,000 for the next plan year. Employee benefits will not change except for the high deductible health plan deductible adjusting to $3,500 due to IRS requirements.
ODOT Final Legislation – Johnson Station Road Bridge Replacement: The council discussed a resolution to approve $238,723 as the city's share for the bridge replacement. The project received a $1.38 million grant from ODOT and $200,000 for design. Construction estimate is $1,627,327. Utility relocation and property acquisition are complete. The bridge will be built in half-width phases to maintain access to U-Build It Industries.
Tax Levy Resolution: A resolution to accept the amounts and rates determined by the Montgomery County Budget Commission for tax year 2026, authorizing necessary levies and certifying them to the county auditor. Revenue estimates are based on 95% collection.
Record Plan – 7249 North Dixie Drive: A request to approve a record plan dividing 12.4174 acres into two parcels (11.8 acres and 1.3 acres) and dedicating 0.6 acres of public right-of-way along State Route 8. The smaller parcel will be developed into a fueling station and convenience store, which is permitted by right. The developer will be required to improve Stop 8 Road with widening, curb, gutter, and sidewalk. The Planning Commission recommended approval 4-0 on September 22, 2026.
Salt Purchase: The city plans to renew its salt supply through the Southwestern Ohio Purchasers for Government (SWOFG) consortium. The lowest bid is from American Rock Salt Company at $121.92 per ton, significantly higher than previous years. The city will only enter a one-year contract (instead of the typical two-year) due to high prices, estimating 2,000 tons. There is no minimum purchase requirement.
Public Works Monument Sign: A proposed monument sign for the new Public Works facility, matching existing signs at other city buildings. The cost is $28,685 from Geograph Industries, and funds are available from the project's budget savings.
Legislative Calendar: No specific items were discussed; council members had no questions.
All right, it's 5 30, so we're gonna go ahead and get started with this evening's study session. No, I know. Um the first item on the agenda is a um a department update from human resources. So I'd like to invite Ms. Hamp up to the podium. Good evening. So tonight we're just gonna do an overview of what our department has been up to and how hard we all work to serve our employees. Uh it is currently comprised of the three of us, myself, the HR manager, our HR coordinator Jeddah, who's back here this evening, um, and then Sherry as well. Um Jetta just joined us here in January. When I started here in 24, it was very evident that we needed a lot of extra help, uh, was just kind of putting out fires to keep our head above water, and we've been able to function and move forward and um are excited for what we can do moving forward. So areas of responsibility. Uh sorry, it's kind of small text up there, but just to let you know, this is an overview of all of the pieces that our department touches. Um we're gonna touch base on almost all of these categories this evening, with the exception of discipline and workmen's comp. I won't bore you with those that we get to handle behind the scenes. Um, but everything from employees uh support from when they onboard to when they leave us, we're touching as every piece of our employees' lives and helping them navigate their life stages and what they need to go through and helping them through changes, whether it's employment or personal, uh, we get to be the people who are there for them, and which is one of the many reasons I love my job. Um we are in the process of working through some projects that I'm excited to share with you guys. We finished up a lot of projects over the course of the time period that was up there. I believe it was September, August of last year to September of this year. The reason that we went with that time frame was so we could give you a full picture um of numbers and some of the data that we're sharing. Next slide. So uh HR by the numbers for our full-time staff. Um at the time when we did these slides, we had 161 people. Um, and I believe it's about the same right now. We fluctuate from 160 to 161 depending on uh vacancies or where we're at in the year. Part-time staff, that's the big fluctuator, about 230 staff. Um, at any given time that fluctuates from 250 to 300 even. Um that's typically when we're at the peak of our camps and our soccer and all of our different sports and things, that's when we have a lot more part-time staff. Um candidates applied, that's actually our full-time number. So we've all we have had 409 full-time candidates apply to our open positions. I share this number with you to let you know that for every candidate that gets reply get that applies, their uh application and resume and everything else gets reviewed, not only by HR, but by hiring managers. Um and there's a lot of moving pieces that go into onboarding and hiring, which I'm gonna talk about here too. Um, but just letting you know how many people we actually touch outside the organization as well. And it's a big volume. We completed a hundred and sixty-four full-time interviews in that time span. And something to note about our interviews, they are all panel interviews. So anywhere from three to five people. And the reason we do it that way is because no one position only touches one other position. We try to grab some other departments to make sure that it'll be cohesive fit. So with those, do we a lot about an hour a piece for those interviews? So it's a lot of time and dedication from our hiring managers. I just want to give a shout-out to them because they all work very, very hard. Um and in each interview, first round Jeddah sits in all of those, and second round I sit in all of those. And in each interview, first round, Jeddah sits in all of those, and second round, I sit in all of those. So someone from HR is a representative in each in each interview. Total hires for the time frame shared is 133 new employees. So we had 28 full-time. Now that was due to resignations, retirements, promotions, work movement within the workforce, not necessarily brand new positions bringing people on.