County pay raise causes wage debate

Pulaski County Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer asked for clarification from the county council after his office was short-changed a pay raise. 
Origer approached the council, during a regular meeting Monday night, about the 1-percent pay raise that he understood all full-time employees in the county were to receive. 
Council president Jay Sullivan said he understood that all full-time employees were to receive a 1-percent raise. 
Councilman Ken Boswell said he understood that everyone was to receive the raise whether or not it was in their budget. 
Pulaski County Auditor Laura Wheeler questioned if an employee will still receive the 1-percent raise if it puts them outside the scope of the salary matrix. 
Sullivan said they will still receive the raise and if they qualify for an increase because of the number of years they have worked for the county, they will receive that also.
Further questions were asked about the matrix and how a raise across the board affects it. 
Sullivan said the council needs to review the matrix and how the raise applies to it. 
A motion was approved to correct the mistake and ensure that all full-time employees receive a 1-percent raise. Powers and councilwoman Alex Haschel abstained from the vote because they would like to research the matter more. 
When Pulaski County Sheriff Jeff Richwine spoke with the council, he advised them that he should be receiving a raise due to a state statute. According to the statute, the sheriff of a county should receive at least half of what the county prosecuting attorney is making. At this time, Richwine is not. It was estimated that the increase Richwine will be receiving is about 2 percent. 
As the conversation continued, Richwine said he believes the salary increase that he receives should follow the matrix created for his department.
Wheeler said the sheriff’s department will receive a 3-percent raise of their wages. She requested that any changes to the sheriff’s department matrix be tabled so the increases can be calculated. 
Sullivan suggested the county advertise for the increase in the sheriff’s salary but table the rest. A motion was approved to increase the sheriff’s salary to meet the state statute and table the rest. 
“It’s not fair to the other county employees if the sheriff’s workers are going to get more than 1 percent,” said councilman Scott Hinkle. 
Richwine said he will argue that what the employees of the sheriff’s office do is not the same as what a secretary does in the courthouse. He questioned how many county courthouse employees work the holidays, weekends and midnights. 
“I’m waiting for all the people who are feeling neglected in the courthouse to come apply. We have openings,” Richwine said. “I don’t see people lining up to be a jailer that gets spit on or cussed at. I don’t see people coming over applying for dispatchers who sit there 24-hours a day and listen to everyone’s woe or a deputy who runs into a house where they know there is a gun and they could possibly be shot.” 
Sullivan said the budget is tight and he is unsure how the salary increase will short the budget. He wants to keep the employees that are trained.

See the full story in the Pulaski County Journal, available in print and e-edition.

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