Augusta’s human‑resources director told the Charter Review Committee the city is moving performance reviews and training online, expanding succession (secession in transcript) planning and finishing a multi‑year compensation study that the department expects to present in the fall.

HR Director Miss Rooker described the department’s structure and priorities: benefits management, compensation, talent management, learning and development, and employee engagement. She said the city will launch an electronic Human Resources Information System (HRIS) and move performance management from a paper process to an electronic, ongoing evaluation system in 2026. The HR office plans a library of online trainings with six mandatory courses for employees and use of training modules to support disciplinary or developmental actions.

Committee members and public speakers pressed HR on several practical issues. Several asked about Ban the Box (removing a criminal history question from initial job applications). Miss Rooker explained that a state policy known as “Ban the Box” is intended to allow applicants with criminal histories to apply and be considered; she said hires for safety‑sensitive positions can still be subject to background checks. Committee members also asked whether HR or department directors make final hiring decisions; Rooker said hiring decisions rest with department directors, with HR acting as adviser and gatekeeper for paperwork and compliance. She said she uses external recruiters when requested by the commission and that procurement rules guide those contracts.

Former Fire Captain and committee member Mr. Coleman raised complaints about retirement and benefits processing, citing cases where employees believed unused sick‑time and longevity had been calculated incorrectly. Miss Rooker acknowledged turnover in benefits staff and said the HR office coordinates with the retirement administrator (referenced as GMEBS in committee comments) when calculations differ; she invited members to provide specific cases for follow‑up. Mr. Coleman also raised the design of EMT stipends, saying some administrative staff receive the same stipend as field responders; he asked HR to examine whether the stipend distribution remains appropriate.

Rooker said the compensation study has been underway and she expects to present results by October–November. She recommended distinguishing budget officer functions from day‑to‑day accounting and described using a budget manager or dedicated budget officer alongside a city manager as current best practice for a community Augusta’s size.

The committee recorded several directions for staff follow‑up, including requests that HR and the clerk provide the advertised job description for the current open finance role (CFO vs. finance director) and that HR provide additional information about retirement case processing when specific employee cases are referred.

The HR presentation included public‑facing commitments: more outreach to departments on succession planning, faster responses on intermittent FMLA cases and expanded employee training and performance tools to make evaluations regular and transparent.