Board of Supervisors Thurs Mtg 10-22-26 · Depmt Head Evaluation Process for County of Lake Employees

At the County of Lake Board of Supervisors meeting on October 22, 2026, staff presented a possible NeoGov performance-evaluation module for appointed department heads. The system would schedule evaluations and check-ins, support individual journal entries and attachments, flag potentially questionable comments, and use AI to compile comments and rankings for initial review by the CAO and County Counsel before the Board’s review. Staff described 35 subscriptions, including 19 department heads, and estimated a $4,200 one-time setup fee plus an $8,107 annual subscription; the presentation cited an initial total of $12,390. IT reported no technology concerns, noting the cloud-based module would not integrate with county systems.

No purchase was approved and no vote was taken. Supervisors favored pausing while the county’s Workday transition and freeze on new software are underway, with further discussion and department-head feedback to follow. Board members and public commenters raised questions about the evaluation criteria, AI accuracy and bias, ongoing costs, and the need to align evaluations with a county strategic plan and measurable goals. Staff indicated the item could return after the department-head meeting for further consideration.