Arkansas legislative subcommittee OKs Sanders' request for salary increases, new position classifications

Kay Barnhill, state personnel administrator of the TSS Office of Personnel Management, answers questions from legislators Thursday during the personnel subcommittee meeting at the state Capitol.
(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)
Kay Barnhill, state personnel administrator of the TSS Office of Personnel Management, answers questions from legislators Thursday during the personnel subcommittee meeting at the state Capitol. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)

The Personnel Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislature's Joint Budget Committee on Thursday approved requests for five positions in the Governor's Office with new classifications and salary increases for state department secretaries and deputy directors.

None of the salary hikes for department heads or new classifications for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' staff would require allocations of more taxpayer dollars, said Kay Barnhill, state personnel director.

The joint panel approved a requested salary of $225,000 for Kristi Putnam, secretary of the Department of Human Services. The requested amount is $23,300 more than the annual salary of former Secretary Mark White, who served under former Gov. Asa Hutchinson, according to the state's transparency website.

Subcommittee members endorsed a salary of $250,000 for Jacob Oliva, head of the Arkansas Department of Education. State records show Oliva's predecessor, Johnny Key, had a salary of $239,361.

For Hugh McDonald, secretary of the state Department of Commerce, subcommittee members approved a salary of $225,000. Mike Preston, former head of the department, had an annual salary of $168,047.

Barnhill noted Preston received a roughly $50,000 bonus a year because he also served as the director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. McDonald will not hold both positions.

The subcommittee approved a salary of $210,000 for Joe Profiri, secretary of the state Department of Corrections. Solomon Graves, who held the position under Hutchinson, received a salary of $170,276, according to the state's transparency website.

Subcommittee members allowed Sanders' office to establish new classifications for chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, public affairs director and chief legal counsel. To offset the new classifications, the Governor's Office said five other positions would remain vacant and would be eliminated during the biennial budget process.

The classifications allow for a salary range of $149,862 to $181,500 for the governor's chief of staff and $134,406 to $167,000 for the deputy chief of staff, public affairs director and chief legal counsel.

The subcommittee also granted a request from Putnam to set salaries for two deputy director positions at the Department of Human Services at $172,000, which exceeds the maximum salary range for the posts. The standard salary range for these positions is $134,406 to $167,000, according to the subcommittee's agenda.

The approval of all actions was retroactively dated to Jan. 11. 

CORRECTION: The Personnel Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislature's Joint Budget Committee approved the requests. An earlier version of this story inaccurately described the subcommittee.

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