Fayette board going with '05 salaries |
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Author: Amy Zalar
Source: Herald-Standard
Date: March 23, 1006
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The Fayette County Salary Board Wednesday failed to approve a recommendation by the human resource director setting new salaries for part-time county employees, and will instead rely on action taken last year that set a uniform part-time rate at $5.25 per hour.
Human resource director Jim Moore recommended using the Step A rate per hour of each individual position for part-time employees, but the vote ended in a 2-2 tie. Controller Mark Roberts and Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites voted in favor of the action, while commissioners Angela M. Zimmerlink and Joseph A. Hardy III voted against it.
Moore said he came to the recommendation because it doesn't make sense to use a flat rate. "One shoe doesn't fit all," Moore said. He pointed out that in January 2005 the salary board set a uniform rate at $5.25 per hour.
Despite last year's motion that made the part-time rate $5.25 per hour, District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon said she has learned that other part-time department clerks have started in other offices at a higher rate. She was asking to increase the per-hour rate of a clerk in her office from $5.30 per hour to $6.50 per hour.
Vernon mentioned part-time clerk positions in the Register of Wills Office and the Recorder of Deeds Office with salaries of $7.54 per hour and $6.50 per hour, respectively. "I think there is a basic inequity here," Vernon said. "I think you should cure this wrong."
Zimmerlink said it is unfortunate that some clerks are at a higher rate, but she suggested that from now on, all department heads should keep in mind that a rate of $5.25 per hour has been set. The three county commissioners and the controller vote on salaries for each county job, with the exception of elected row offices and the court system, where the row officer or president judge also gets a vote.
Vicites said he didn't feel comfortable making a higher rate for Vernon's office without knowing what the starting salaries are for other offices. Moore said he could find out the starting salaries, but he didn't know them off the top of his head.
Vernon said she understands the commissioners must work within a budget. "You have to be fiscally responsible but you have to be fair," she said. "I think this should be righted."
Vernon made a motion requesting an increase in the base part of a part-time department clerk I in her office from $5.30 per hour to $6.50 per hour, but the motion did not receive a second. She said because it was the second time she brought her request before a salary board, she would not be back again.
The salary board also approved the creation of 12 positions for the Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation office. All of the positions were included in the new FACT reorganization plan.
Roberts adamantly opposed creation of the positions, saying it will make "way too many chiefs and too few Indians." Roberts said with the current 19 employees, the plan calls for adding at least five managers, which could create four layers of managers in some departments. He also expressed concern that the salary board was creating positions for a plan not yet adopted by the commissioners.
Consultant Harold Jenkins explained that it is a "different type of animal with running public transportation." He said there must be a street manager, operations manager, maintenance manager and supervisors in offices, which does not necessarily create layers of managers.
Moore said the commissioners did approve the reorganization plan, and added that some of the positions will not be filled in this fiscal year. Roberts said he is opposed to a plan that removes supervisory control from his office.
Zimmerlink said essentially the salary board is creating the positions and not filling them.
Vicites said he wants the human resource department involved in the interview process from start to finish with all future positions.
The new positions that were created fall under the two categories of supervisor pay scale and non-supervisor/non union pay scale. Moore said all are Step A salaries. The new supervisor pay scale positions are: general manager, pay grade 14, $15.93 per hour; maintenance manager, pay grade 13, $15.31 per hour; accountant III, pay grade 13, $15.31 per hour; operations manager, pay grade 11, $14.16 per hour; dispatcher, pay grade 10, $13.60 per hour; class A technician, pay grade 6, $11.63 per hour.
The non-supervisor/ non-union pay scale positions are: parts department purchasing manager, pay grade 10, $10.49 per hour; program specialist, pay grade 12, $11.33 per hour; technology manager, pay grade 13, $11.77 per hour; accountant II, pay grade 15, $12.74 per hour; administrative secretary II, pay grade 6, $8.96 per hour; and administrative assistant part time, $5.25 per hour.
The salary board also voted to eliminate an accounts clerk II position. For each position, which was voted on separately, Roberts voted no, with Zimmerlink, Hardy and Vicites voting yes.
The salary board also created a probation supervisor position and department clerk I position for the adult probation office, with rates of $17.92 per hour and $7.54 per hour, respectively.
For the Mental Health/Mental Retardation office, the salary board created a county care manager position at a rate of $17.98 per hour. |
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