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Hernando Today

Members Split On Tuition Program

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: March 4, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - A budget committee Tuesday was split on whether to continue offering a tuition reimbursement plan to government employees.

John Scharch called it a "good investment" for the county. Helping employees attain more education keeps them sharp, he said.

Member Anna Liisa Covell disagreed, saying that if employees want to better themselves, they should pay for higher education out of their own pocket, especially during these hard economic times.

After almost 45 minutes of debate, the committee decided it didn't have enough hard data to make a recommendation to county commissioners and will broach the issue after Human Resources Director Cheryl Marsden returns with a draft document.

Marsden, who already presented several revisions to the existing policy, said research shows a reimbursement policy creates a stronger commitment in workers.

Also, a better trained workforce will allow those employees to step into expanded roles as the number of higher level staff nears retirement age, she told the committee.

Marsden said she found in a survey most government entities offer some kind of tuition reimbursement program.
Covell said that may be true, but the private sector doesn't.

If county employees want to get more education and keep their jobs, they will find a way to "make it happen," she said.

It's the "American spirit," Covell said.

County Commissioner and Committee Chairwoman Rose Rocco called education a wonderful thing and there are many county workers who cannot afford to take classes on their own.

Currently, the county has five board employees enrolled in the county's tuition reimbursement program, which allows participants to recoup a maximum $1,166.40 on costs, as long as the course work has a direct bearing on their scope of work.

Of those five, three are pursuing a bachelor's degree, one an associate's degree and one a master's degree, according to the Hernando County Human Resources Department.

The county budgeted $265,362 in the program for fiscal year 2008-09. Of that amount, $58,167 was actually paid out.

In a draft of the new policy, Marsden added that it will specifically state it's not available to county commissioners.

Last year, former County Commissioner Chris Kingsley was forced to return $3,682 of tuition reimbursement money to the clerk's office after being told he was not entitled to the money.

At the time, Kingsley told Hernando Today he believed he was a government employee and didn't do anything wrong by applying for the money.

The decision to revisit the county's tuition policy was prompted in part when County Administrator David Hamilton announced he would continue pursuing the doctorate of public administration he began five years ago.

Hamilton took a break from his studies when he moved to Hernando County in March 2008 to begin his new job here.

To that end, he took advantage of the county's tuition reimbursement program and enrolled in online courses from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn.

Hamilton's tuition expense came to $2,628 for four hours of course work.

Board members have not yet reimbursed Hamilton.

Commissioners decided, in light of the economy, that it was time to take a hard look at the tuition program and they sent it to the budget and finance standing committee for review.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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