New dispatchers can earn bonuses
Marion County Commission decided Monday to give sign-on bonuses to new county dispatchers as a way to entice and retain employees.
Communications director Michele Abbott-Becker had asked the commission several weeks ago to consider a bonus plan that would pay new employees $500 each at the end of their first year of employment if they successfully completed required training and receive at least an 80 percent on all tests.
Dispatchers who recently were hired also will qualify for the bonus as will the three new personnel who will begin Jan. 1 to meet mandates set by the state fire marshal's office.
The fire marshal recently required the county to maintain sufficient staff to be able to evacuate prisoners within a four-minute time period in case of an emergency such as a fire.
In other business:
— Following a 10-minute executive session with Abbott-Becker for the purpose of discussing personnel, the commission approved signing a grant agreement that will pay the communications department $5,000 for administering a homeland security grant.
— A special meeting was tentatively set for 7:30 a.m. Thursday to adopt a resolution for the county's mitigation plan. Abbott-Becker said USD #408 has halted construction of the school's new gymnasium/indoor pool project until the mitigation plan is approved by FEMA. The plan is required for the school district to be able to utilize grant funds for a storm shelter that will be constructed in the gymnasium building.
Abbott-Becker said she anticipated approval from the state sometime this week and the commission needed to approve a resolution as soon as possible after the approval so construction can continue.
