Department head requests, receives pay increase
Staff reporter
With the exodus of six county department heads in a matter of months, Marion County Commission didn't want a seventh to follow.
Following a total of 40 minutes in executive session to discuss personnel, Marion County Commission decided Monday to give longtime employee Michele Abbott-Becker a six percent pay increase.
Abbott-Becker was initially hired more than 15 years ago as communications director. During her tenure, her job description has expanded to include emergency management director and being on-call for such emergencies.
The executive sessions began with 10 minutes with Abbott-Becker which was extended for another 10 minutes. After that time, Abbott-Becker left the commission room and the commission met for another 10 minutes behind closed doors.
After that session, the commission then met for 10 minutes with county clerk Carol Maggard.
When the session reconvened, commission Dan Holub made a motion to give Abbott-Becker a pay increase to 88 percent of the established median per the county's pay plan. Currently Abbott-Becker is being paid 82 percent of the median salary. The median salary is based on comparisons with other similar-sized counties within the state and same or similar positions. Commissioner Bob Hein seconded the motion. During discussion, commission chairman Randy Dallke said the commission had been working on a pay increase for Abbott-Becker for the past six to eight weeks.
The motion passed, 3-0.
Abbott-Becker currently makes $33,840 per year. With this pay increase, she will make $36,552 per year.
In other business:
— Commission chairman Randy Dallke clarified that Steve Hudson, newly-hired county lake superintendent, will be paid $32,000 per year with a monthly house allowance of $600. The house allowance is added when Hudson's KPERS and Social Security is calculated but is not included in his salary.
Hudson also will be entitled to receive the county pay increases of $50 after six months and $100 after 12. Dallke said other pay increases may be given to him as per his job performance evaluations.
— Another clarification was the responsibility of mowing trailer lots at the lake.
At a previous county meeting, it was understood that the individual trailer house owners would be responsible for mowing their lots. County clerk Carol Maggard said she had researched the issue and determined that the county had not changed the policy of mowing.
— Following a 10-minute executive session as requested by Maggard between the commission, Maggard, and payroll clerk Tina Spencer, the commission returned to open session and approved paying Larry Larsen, emergency medical services director, $141 for 91 hours of on-call time.
— County public health administrator Diedre Serene reported her department needed to purchase a computer hard drive for a backup system. Grant funds will be used to purchase the system. She was instructed by the commission to obtain three bids and return to the commission for approval.
— Quicken, accounting software, will be purchased by the health department per the auditor's recommendation, Serene reported.
— County healthy start coordinator Sondra Mayfield secured a grant through SafeKids for an enclosed trailer. A trailer, six feet wide and five and one-half feet long, is available through Deer Trail Inc. of Marion for $2,890, which is $300 more than the grant amount, Serene said. The additional $300 could be taken from the health department's capital outlay budget, Serene said, if needed.
Maggard said election funds could be used for the balance of the trailer cost if she would be allowed to use it to haul election equipment. Serene said that was workable.
It was suggested that Serene contact Hillsboro Hardware for a price quote for a trailer.
— Peggy Blackman presented a report of the WRAPS program.
She said the sediment assessment study at Marion Reservoir was going well and asked if the $72,500 earmarked by the county was still available. Blackman said she didn't think the county's contribution would have to be the full amount because she had received additional in-kind contributions.
A tour is planned with county and city officials of the reservoir to view erosion and sediment issues.
— Rickey Roberts and Nancy Pihl of the county extension office presented a request of $121,000 from the county for funding of their department in 2008.
The 3.37 percent increase would cover three percent pay increases and an anticipated six percent health insurance increase.
Roberts said the majority of the department's budget, $119,000 of $190,267, is for salaries of three full-time and occasional part-time personnel.
Additional funding is provided by Kansas State University.
— Beginning at 8:05 a.m. Monday, the commission held a 40-minute session to discuss open county positions.
The next commission meeting is at 9 a.m. Friday in the courthouse.
