The ball is rolling on county government employees’ paychecks rising to better compete with comparable jobs in the wider marketplace.
Even though the Jackson County Board of Commissioners nixed any chance for raises this year based on experience or performance, the low pay situations of four employees have now been rectified by the board and the rest will receive a chance for similar treatment at next week’s commissioners’ meeting.
“I think we need to proceed and decide what we’re going to do once and for all with the (compensation) study,” said commissioner Roger Ringkob before approving adjustments to two employee positions last week.
The board’s approval upgraded the pay level for the office manager-legal secretary and a legal secretary in the county attorney’s office, both recipients of added responsibilities over the years without added pay, said acting county attorney Sherry Haley.
“Over the past seven years the position now called office manager-legal secretary has changed to include many more responsibilities than the position entailed when the pay grade was first determined,” Haley wrote in her request for board consideration. “… This particular position takes many years to train and requires a great amount of attention to detail and skills that are unique to the county attorney’s office.”
A month prior, on Sept. 22, the board raised the pay of two highway department positions in a shuffle that also altered a third, which is anticipating a retirement, and created a new position. Those changes were promoted to better utilize staff skills and time.
Together with the attorney’s office positions, the four were among 15 positions highlighted by a study of compensation accuracy as needing adjustment to keep up with similar jobs outside of government.
“Keeping people and keeping us effective is one of the most important considerations,” said county coordinator Jan Fransen.
A cost projection for the attorney’s office adjustments was $2,300 for the year. Implementing the complete compensation study would cost a budgeted $30,500 from county reserves, and adjusting just the rest of the list of 15 employees whose pay is farthest from their market rate would cost $20,000.
Click here to read the Jackson County Compensation Study.
JACKSON COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO PICK UP RATE HIKE
The county’s contribution toward group health insurance premiums will remain the same while employees will pick up the 3.2 percent increase in premiums.
LOON LAKE PLAT IS APPROVED
The final plat for the four-lot Koth Subdivision on the west side of Loon Lake was approved by commissioners Oct. 13.
TRAIL PLANNED FOR LAKEFIELD
A grant application to build a portion of trail in Lakefield is expected to be submitted by December, said commissioner Rosemary Schultz, and a longer trail on city property on the city’s east side is being dreamed up by local advocates, though money for construction seems to be three to four years out yet. Plans for a new Prairie Ecology Bus Center are likely seven years out as well, Schultz said.
NEW DATA PRACTICES GUIDE FOR RESIDENTS
A new policy and guide for members of the public requesting information from Jackson County and for requesting personal information from the local government was approved by the county board last week and will be made available to the public soon. The guides include instructions on how to make requests for data according to rules set forth by the state.
Click here to read the draft data practices policy guide.
MANY APPLY FOR JAILER JOB
Jackson County’s new part-time jailer will likely be selected from a pool of 21 applicants.
