Washington Supervisors approve salary increase for county employees

WASHINGTON - After twice tabling the issue, the Washington County Board of Supervisors came to a decision on salaries for county employees and elected officials for 2020 when it met in regular session Monday, Dec. 23, at the Washington County Courthouse.

The County Compensation Board had recommended a 3 percent raise for elected officials for next year. The supervisors had to decide whether to accept or modify that recommendation and to decide what to do about salaries for all nonelected employees.

Supervisor Jack Seward Jr. said he had talked to people in the private sector who planned to offer employees raises in the range of 4 to 8 percent. He said with the low unemployment rate, open positions would likely be filled by people already employed in the area and he was concerned about retaining a quality workforce. He said for elected officials he favored a 10 percent reduction in the Compensation Board's recommendation and for county employees he recommended a 75 cents per hour increase.

Supervisor Abe Miller said he continued to recommend a one-third reduction in the Compensation Board's recommendation and a 2 percent increase for county employees adding that he had talked with private sector employers who planned to offer employees a 2 percent raise next year. Supervisor Stan Stoops agreed with Seward that the 75 cent an hour increase made sense because it decreases the gap between the highest paid and lowest paid employees. Supervisor Bob Yoder said the 75 cent increase idea is OK for some years but cautioned that a percentage increase would be advisable once in a while. Otherwise, there would be very little difference between the pay of the lowest and highest paid employees, he said.

'If we keep giving percentage increases, the gap between the highest and lowest paid individuals keeps getting wider,” Supervisor Richard Young said. 'I have no problems looking at (the 75 cents an hour increase)”.

Yoder said with the 75 cents per hour increase the employees at the lower end of the pay scale would be receiving a higher percentage increase of pay while the opposite would be true for those at the higher end of the pay scale. Seward said his idea would probably cost the county less than an across-the-board percentage increase.

'At some point we have to make a decision,” Yoder said.

The board voted to grant employees a 75 cents an hour increase with Miller voting no.

The board then turned its attention to the Compensation Board's recommendation that elected officials receive a 3 percent increase in salary. Seward said he thought the board did a good job but, in the interest of holding the line on costs, the increase should be reduced by 10 percent. Miller said he continued to believe the recommendation should be cut by one third. The board voted to reduce the Compensation Board's recommendation by 10 percent with Miller voting no.

The board voted to keep the board chair's stipend the same at $1,500 which the Compensation Board had recommended.

Temporary Assistant County Attorney Named

County Attorney John Gish addressed the board regarding the operation of his office while he serves in active military duty. The board approved his recommendation to forfeit his salary while he is away on duty. Gish said, 'it is the moral and ethical thing to do.” The board also approved the hiring of Anthony Janney as Assistant Washington County Attorney to serve while Gish is absent. Janney's position will be a full-time temporary position that will end upon Gish's return. He will be paid the equivalent of an annual salary of $88,364.25 and has over 30 years of experience.

Other Business

In other business, the board:

*Approved Lucas Snedigar becoming a full-time deputy in the Sheriff's office;

*Acknowledged the change of duties of Deborah Seale in the Auditor's office from Subdivision Coordinator to Assistant Real Estate Coordinator;

*Approved an hourly pay rate change for Lindsay Adam in the Treasurer's office and

*Approved the purchase of two used trucks for the County Engineer's department.