County approves agreement, not expenses
Following a five-minute executive session Friday to discuss personnel, Marion County Commission approved an interlocal agreement with community corrections of the eighth judicial district.
The agreement required the county to be responsible for a share of workers' compensation and liability insurance expenses for community corrections employees.
However, the commission said it only was "making a notation" of the potential costs and not approving payment.
The county's share, a percentage based on the number of clients being served, for workers' compensation would be $3,073 and liability insurance for Aug. 1-Dec. 31 would be $1,251. Predicted liability insurance for 2005 was $3,277.
The county was being asked to provide was $6,351, nearly three times the amount requested for 2004.
Eighth Judicial Chief Judge Michael Powers said he and commissioner Howard Collett attended a meeting Thursday with representatives of other counties in the judicial district and community corrections.
Community corrections has provided legal services to indigent clients since 1992.
"In the late 1990s, Juvenile Justice Authority was formed and was combined with community corrections," said Powers. "There have been some personnel issues regarding who has authority to do what."
Powers said other issues were the distribution of power and chain of command.
"The (community corrections) board of directors get power from the four county commissions," Powers said. "The administrative county (Geary) is administrative only."
Discussion followed regarding the director of community corrections and the need for the employee to be evaluated annually.
An interlocal agreement was reviewed by the commission at the July 30 meeting. The commission was concerned about the wording and the financial commitment the agreement would require.
Powers said the agreement was necessary to address workers' and unemployment compensation, and errors and omissions issues.
"This new interlocal agreement would address these issues," Powers said.
In other business:
— The commission approved the repainting of the county's flag pole, located on the courthouse lawn, at a cost of $400.
— Ballots were canvassed by the commission. The commission approved 40 blank ballots for Democratic candidates and included them in the final ballot book.
The ballots were erroneously included in the final count by poll workers with completed ballots, said county and election clerk Carol Maggard. Twenty-two provisional ballots were reviewed. Thirteen ballots were accepted.
