Boone County names Laura Pleiman as head of Community Services and Programs, expanding role

By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter

New County Administrator Matthew Webster announced his plan to reorganize the Human Services department at a Fiscal court meeting recently.

Laura Pleiman, currently the Director of Human Services, will take her position up to full time, and more people will report to her, instead of just the one she had.

“During our transition over the last several months, we have been reviewing where we have critical needs, and how these might be incorporated into our planning,” Webster said. “Many areas were included with the administration restructuring plan that we’ve put in place and finalized with the deputy County Administrator and the Assistant County administrator.”

However, he said that several items were identified that revolved around community service and community programs that the county currently offered, wanted to offer, or thought they should offer to residents. Discussion revealed that there could be a connection between these programs and the human services department, so Laura Pleiman was brought into the discussion.

“Given the analysis, it has become fairly clear that there was a synergy with the current human services department along with the community needs,” Webster explained. “This led to a discussion with Laura to determine fit, current capacity, and changes that might be required to absorb these duties without adding staffing to our team, but by moving her position back to full time. She was willing to do this in a fully elevated and expanded role.”

The proposal before the fiscal court was to reorganize the current human services department into a newly named department titled Community Services and Programs.

“This new department would include implementing and oversight of all opiod abatement programs, taking a lead role on assessing and advising strategies to meet housing needs, economic development support, board representation and researching innovative services and programs that come from other communities or that may come from the elected body, or may come from the mind of Laura herself, that she would be willing to research and recommend to the court for future planning,” Webster stated. “This will provide a more comprehensive approach to looking at the future of Boone County. I believe the adjusted department description in name is a logical next step in the growth of this department.”

Commissioner Chet Hand asked some questions, picking out some phrases and asking how that would look. Webster explained about which boards Pleiman would be on, and talked about the ‘leadership relating to housing trends and assessments’, telling Hand he expected conversations related to workforce housing, and what types of housing Boone County will need, looking to the future.

“I see her becoming your subject-matter expert on housing across the country so that when you have questions about what other communities are doing, how those impacts may be positive or negative to the county, she will be bringing initiatives to you for consideration, but also be your subject matter expert, to understand where trends are, and to give you advice on where they might be positive or where they might be negative for Boone County,” Webster said.

He said he wants her to be on the lookout for other ways to improve everyday life for the residents of the county.

There has been no direct budget impact for just the name change and reorganization for the department, according to Webster, although moving Pleiman back to full time will cost some money, but it is nothing the county can’t do. He explained that since she will now be a director, she will receive a $4,000 bump to make her comparable to the other directors.

He told commissioners that in the 14 years Laura Pleiman has been at the county she has taken on any work they ask her to do, and she has a very professional reputation around the Northern Kentucky area.

“I am excited to play a role in expanding the County’s response to critical community initiatives. Boone County has been a leader in so many facets of local government and I see the investment in this role as yet another example of that leadership,” said Laura Pleiman. “I am looking forward to working with the incredible community partners and experts already within our county and region and exploring national models to improve quality of life in Boone County.”