Shawnee County Newsletter

What is the strength of your organization?

As part of the 2021 Shawnee County Wage Study, I recently participated in an interview with Evergreen Solutions. During the course of the interview I was asked “What is the strength of your organization?” When I asked for clarification the interviewer elaborated with the question, “What do you hold out as the reason to work for Shawnee County?”  

When I think about the strengths of Shawnee County, I first think about being able to make a difference in my community and being able to work with the public. Some of our benefits are things such as the Health Care offered to our employees and their families, tuition reimbursement, retirement plans and so many others. 

However, in the past when the issue of salary was raised that topic was often quickly brushed aside. When Shawnee County underwent its last wage study in 2015 the findings, while not surprising, were shocking that 87% of our employees were being compensated below market for like sized organizations. The result from the compensation study resulted in an increase in compensation for many employees and caused Shawnee County as an entity to re-evaluate the job duties for almost all positions. 

So what can we expect from the current wage study? I anticipate that there will be areas of Shawnee County that are underpaid, it is my hope that we have kept pace with many of our positions. While the strength of any organization does not rest on compensation alone, we all strive to pay and to be paid a fair salary for our endeavors. The strength of Shawnee County is shown in our continuing efforts to respect our employees and the service that they provide to Shawnee County citizens through not just the benefits offered but the compensation paid to our employees.  

   Commissioner Kevin Cook


Featured Shawnee County Department

FEATURED DEPARTMENT - Shawnee County Health Department

Vaccine Clinic at the Ag Hall, Topeka, KS in March 2021

Mission: Shawnee County Health Department is committed to working in partnership with our community to promote and protect the optimal health of all people by bridging gaps to eliminate health inequities, respecting the diversity of our community, through adaptive and innovative processes. 

April 5-11, 2021 is National Public Health Week! 

The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) over the last year has looked quite different in the way they typically deliver their services due to the pandemic. A majority of SCHD employees have taken on new job duties or had new duties added to their current positions. So many staff members have worked countless additional hours to serve the needs of our community and help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while working to still maintain their normal job duties. 

·        Baby Basics Prenatal Classes

·        Child Care Licensing

·        Communicable Disease

·        Emergency Preparedness

·        Environmental Health

·        Fetal Infant Mortality Review Program

·        Health Promotion

·        Immunizations

·        Infectious Disease

·        Maternal Child Health Visitation

·        Medical Records

·        Nurse-Family Partnership

·        Pregnancy Testing

·        Sexually Transmitted Diseases

·        Tuberculosis (TB) Control Clinic

·        Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) 

Many of these services had to re-evaluate how they would continue to provide these essential services in the midst of an ever changing landscape the pandemic brought with it. Most of these services are provided in person and responding to the need to social distancing to limit community transmission became a barrier to providing these services in person. However, the SCHD managed those challenges with great leadership and initiative from all divisions. All employees came together and made the necessary changes to their everyday jobs with the hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel….a vaccine! 

“The staff at SCHD should be commended for the way they embraced the adversity each of them faced during the past year. They rose to the occasion and faced the challenges of the Pandemic with grace,” said Teresa Fisher, Interim Director at the Health Department. “They have worked countless hours serving the community in so many ways. Many programs never broke stride and delivered services to clients in unconventional ways. Public Health employees were true heroes of 2020!”  

Thank you to all our Public Health employees at Shawnee County Health Department for making our community stronger, healthier, and safe during this past year and the years to come….


SNCO benefits at your fingertips

Bookmark your mobile wallet card to your cellphone and access anytime, on the go!  https://mymobilewalletcard.com/snco/ 


County Employees Begin the Leadership Greater Topeka Program

Leadership Greater Topeka is a 38 year community leadership program of the Greater Topeka Partnership (LGT). It identifies aspiring and established leaders from the community and introduces them to the opportunities and needs of Topeka and Shawnee County while also teaching adaptive leadership concepts. They are encouraged to get involved in the community following their completion of the program. The Class of 2021 Graduates include Marc Price (Information Technology), Debra Hoffer (Shawnee County Sheriff's Office) and Mike Augustine (Human Resources). Congratulations to these and other County employees who have completed the Leadership Program.

Read more in the March/April 2021 Issue  https://tkmagazine.com/latest-issue 

Tulip Time will feature 100,000 multi-colored tulips, daffodils and hyacinths along with more early spring blooming flowers at Shawnee County Parks + Recreation’s three public gardens:

  • Ted Ensley Gardens/Lake Shawnee
  • Doran Rock Garden/Gage Park
  • Old Prairie Town/Ward-Meade Botanical Garden

Tulips at Twilight features 35 lighted displays with more than 20,000 tulips illuminated by luminarias and lighted displays. The displays include 15-foot tall illuminated tulips and larger-than-life illuminated flowers, illuminated mushrooms tall enough for patrons to walk beneath them, rivers of blue lights and floating lanterns in the Asian garden.

Tulips at Twilight is set for 7-10 p.m. April 9-25. Admission is a $5 donation with children five and under free.


Do Not Bag Recyclables

Please DO NOT bag your recyclables! When you place plastic bags in your recycle bin, they get wrapped around our sorting equipment. Always place your recyclables directly in your recycling container.  http://www.snco.us/sw/image/content/what_can_I_recycle.pdf 


Discover a Career at Shawnee County

Election Manager - Office Administration & Board Workers

$21.37/hr Under general supervision, this Classified position is a part of the Elections Office management team. Performs critical administrative work for elections related to administration and support for the Elections Office including human resources, budgeting, accounts payables, procurement, contract management, front office management/reception, etc. Provides oversight and administration of election board workers including recruitment, vetting, assignments, training, evaluations, payments, etc. Performs other duties as assigned. This position is supervised by the Election Commissioner.

Payroll Assistant

$17.20/hr Under general supervision, this position has direct responsibility for payroll, internal audit functions, benefit plans, retirement programs, garnishments, and other duties as required. This position is supervised by the Human Resource Director. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS *High School Diploma or GED Certificate *Four (4) years’ experience in bookkeeping, conducting payroll, or conducting Human Resources activities with payroll related duties. OR *Bachelors Degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources or related field.

Road Maintenance

$13.77/hr Under general supervision, this position operates a variety of construction equipment to repair and maintain roads and signs. Performs other duties as required. This position is supervised by the Road and Bridge Superintendent and Assistant Road Supervisor.

4-H Youth Development Extension Agent

Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive 4-H youth development program for school-aged youth in cooperation with local residents and extension colleagues. Applications accepted until April 14, 2021. Read more about the qualifications at  https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/jobs/current_openings/index.html 


FREE from Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Strive is a personalized well-being experience. Whether you’d like to spend more time working out at home, focusing on mindfulness, being active with your family, or doing anything in-between, Strive can be customized to help you achieve your unique goals.  bcbsks.com/strive 

Retirees in March 2021

Erin Kelly - Sheriff Dispatch  - Hire Date: 1/6/1997

Kathy Beach  - District Attorney's Office - Hire Date: 8/27/07

FEATURED DEPARTMENT - Shawnee County Health Department

Read more in the March/April 2021 Issue  https://tkmagazine.com/latest-issue