County to 'hold the line' with budget
Raises will be factored, no increases in department budgets in 2008
Staff reporter
Unpredictable gas prices and uncertainty about the county jail leaves Marion County Commission in a quandary regarding a budget for next year.
During Monday's commission meeting, board members decided county department heads will be asked to maintain the same bottom line budget figure but include a pay increase for employees.
County employees did not receive a pay increase in 2007.
County clerk Carol Maggard encouraged the commission to consider options because otherwise department heads will present proposals.
"We need to start thinking outside the box," said commissioner Dan Holub.
Employees need to share transportation, reconsider driving to training and meetings, and maybe not trade vehicles right away.
"Basically we'll tell department heads, 'What you've got this year you'll have next year and make it work'," Holub said.
"Department heads need to hold the line," said commissioner Bob Hein.
The discussion then led to employee evaluations and pay increases.
"The private business community thinks a COLA is something you drink," Holub said. COLA is a cost of living allowance that many public sectors provide to their employees.
"Maybe merit pay increase is the way to go," Maggard said.
The consensus of the commission was to ask department heads to factor up to a three percent pay increase but maintain the same department budget as this year.
Commission chairman Randy Dallke suggested that instead of merit increase, the county assist or provide family health care coverage.
Maggard said the purpose of single health care coverage to employees is to keep employees healthy and able to work. She continued that some employees may want compensation if the county provides insurance to families.
She said she knew of only one county in the state that provides family health insurance.
Holub said a previous county clerk had told him that the county decided to provide attractive benefits because it couldn't afford to pay top wages.
Holub and Hein said they want pay increases for employees and for department heads to maintain the same budget amount as this year.
The commission also reviewed job performance evaluation forms. County personnel revamped the document to make it easier for the employee and department head to complete.
A major change will be the tallying. Department heads will no longer tally the final score that determines the amount of raise individual employees have earned. The clerk's office will do that in an effort to keep the evaluation as fair as possible.
