Part-time employees receive pay raise
Staff reporter
All permanent part-time Marion County employees will receive at least $8 per hour.
Those already making $8 or more per hour will receive a 10-cent per hour raise.
Marion County Commission decided Monday that with minimum wage increases coming next year, it would be reasonable to go ahead and bump up employees to a reasonable amount.
The last time part-time employees received a pay increase was in 2006.
In other business:
— County employees will receive 50.5 cents per mile for reimbursement when driving their own vehicles on county business. The county had been paying 47 cents per mile but decided to follow the state's lead and implement the new rate.
— County public health administrator Diedre Serene asked and received permission to purchase a vision machine for $2,112. The 10-year-old equipment was taken to the schools in the county for screening students. The county will receive a $300 credit with the trade-in of the old machine.
Serene also advised the commission that the machine used to test hearing will probably need to be purchased.
— County extension agent Ricky Roberts presented his department's budget for 2009. The department asked the county for $126,000, a 3.6 percent increase.
Roberts said the increase would be used for increased travel expenses and a cost-of-living raise for employees.
The department's total budget is $195,437 with $37,552 provided by Kansas State University.
Roberts explained that the department provides information regarding agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H. An executive board determines the department's budget.
— Elizabeth Schmidt, director of Community Development Disability Organization for Marion and Harvey counties, asked the commission for continued support in the 2009 with $59,500, the same amount as last year.
Harvey County will be asked to contribute $100,000. The total 2009 proposed budget for the CDDO is $659,091.
— Sheriff's department secretary Ashley Johanning received a $50 pay increase after completing six months in the department. Her monthly pay went from $2,025 to $2,075.
County park superintendent Steve Hudson completed his first year and received a $100 pay increase taking his monthly salary from $2,792 to $2,892.
— Assistant city clerk Tina Spencer asked for and received a five-minute executive session for personnel. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
Later in the meeting, Spencer asked for another five-minute executive session for personnel.
The meeting reconvened with the commission approving a family medical leave for an employee.
The next commission meeting is at 9 a.m. Monday at the courthouse.
