HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93009_0532strongly feels that the employees have been asked to "bite the
bullet" to help hold taxes in line when these are the very
employees that we are counting on to get the job done. The county
cannot offer its employees stock options, vacations at company
expense or other perks to stimulate company loyalty. The county
employees don't expect that. All most of them want is equal pay
for equal work and an opportunity to keep ahead. Mr. Mashburn said
he believes the pay plan proposed provides
at nntiaejo well
do a
better job and the acknowledgement and appreciation
done.
Several new positions have been recommended. Mr. Mashburn
said he believed he could show justification for each of them as
each department's budget is reviewed. However, it should be noted
that as a percentage, the increase is less than 58 and much of the
funding will be coming from State and Federal sources. By way of
comparison, it should be noted that the state average expenditure
for salaries and wages as a percent of the budget is 23.98.
Iredell County's is 22.48. Some of the neighboring counties --
Alexander County 24.38, Cabarrus County 24.78, Catawba 24.88, Davie
23.78, Iredell 22.48, Lincoln 25.38, Mecklenburg 22.48, Rowan
26. 1%, Union 2o. 1%, Yadkin 28.18 (the highest). The average of all
neighboring counties is 23.828 and we are at 22.48 as percentage of
revenues
that
average for the area, Mashburn Mashburn said d wages. Iredell County is really
under the
Almost 658 of the new personnel will be in two departments --
health and social services. In these departments, in some cases,
the cost of not adding personnel can be more costly than adding
them.DSS is an example of this. Not having enough people can be
a real expense in terms of fines, court costs, etc., because of
claims not filed in a timely manner.
Commissioner Boone inquired how the merit system worked. Mr.
Mashburn explained that an employee either gets none, 2 1/48 or 4
1/48 for merit increase. These are the three categories. Mr.
Mashburn said they have new evaluation forms that are much more in
depth, and have cut out some of the subjectivity that can exist in
ed forms based on the
de cription and requirements that whave ill cut out some of that. job
Commissioner Stewart said she has asked several county
employees how they felt about going back to the merit system, and
she said they had, without exception, said they had rather have
across-the-board raises. The employees' feelinags were
in thean past
the same people got the merit raises every year.
aire
said she did not think that gave employees an initiative to do a
better job.
Mr. Mashburn eplained the toocagreen ore merit disagree program.
the
employee has an impopportunity
evaluation. it is important to have a good job description, which
the county now has. It is impossible to be 1008 subjective, Mr.
Mashburn said. Mr. Boone said if the county was going to have a
merit system, he would like to see some kind of incentive for
employees who save the county money.
Commissioner Madison suggested that a certain amount of funds
be set aside to be given to employees come up with programs that
actually save the county money. The board discussed the idea
lincentive,would
Commissi nertMadisonreplace
saidmerit pay but would be a
bonus
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' BUDGET: Mr. Mashburn pointed out the
travel allowance increased in the budget to $150 a month. This is
based on 120 miles a week X .29/mile. This helps to cover the cost
of meeting attendance, etc. The average annual amount budgeted for
commissioners' local travel is $2,534 a month. Commissioner Boone
said if the commissioners' travel budget was going to be increased,
it should be for the commissioners whose office takes affect next
election time, and not for those currently " but board. travel
Mashburn pointed out this was not "paY"
MAY 2 4 W4 513