Salary freeze recommended for Mineral County officials as mediation continues

Mineral County officials are in talks to lock down firm dates for mediation in the ongoing salary dispute between the county government and its workers.

County commissioners had scheduled a public meeting to discuss a “Reduction in Force: County Attorney’s office; Justice Court; Treasurer’s office; Clerk and Recorder’s office; Health Department; Sheriff’s Department. The meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, June 28 at 6 p.m. but was cancelled on Tuesday afternoon.

A statement from county commissioner administrative assistant, Charlee Thompson, said “tonight’s meeting has been postponed so that the commissioners can review other proposals and options for discussion at a future public meeting regarding a reduction in force. We apologize in advance for the inconvenience. The topic is serious enough that all options need to be understood to ensure full and complete discussion.

In other commissioner news, the Mineral County Salary Compensation board met on Tuesday, June 28. The board made a recommendation to the commissioners to freeze all salaries for all Mineral County elected officials for the upcoming fiscal year. This recommendation will be taken into consideration when commissioners finalize the budget for 2016-2017.

The board consist of three county citizens Kevin Jasper, Judy Stang and Merrill Mead, who was absent from the meeting. Other board members include county office department heads.

Commissioners are trying to get $350,000 back into the budget in order to build up the reserve fund. The fund has been vastly depleted over the past few years. Ideally, thirty-three percent, or $553,564, of the county’s annual appropriations should be put into a reserve fund, according to Jessica Connolly, the county’s financial officer. This will take several years to build back up, she said.

Mediation negotiations continued on Monday, June 27, between Mineral County Sheriff’s office employees and county commissioners. Employees went on strike on Memorial Day, after nearly a year without a signed contract.

After 11 days, striking employees agreed to go back to work as long as a mediation date was set. This was the second meeting, involving state mediator, Bill Smith. Teamsters Local Union Number 2, representative, Shawn Fontaine, said that he was optimistic that both parties will come an agreement soon.

Commissioner Laurie Johnston, along with Dan Johns, the county’s lawyer, negotiated with Fontaine, and employee representatives, on Monday. Johnston said the offer, which was their original offer last July, was rejected. It was a fifty and seventy cent per hour raise, plus longevity pay.

Fontaine said salaries are still being negotiated, along with changes in holiday and overtime pay. Currently, employees are paid for eight hours of overtime, even if they work more than an eight hour shift. The new contract would pay overtime for the actual number of hours worked.

Overtime would also be based on a forty hour week, rather than the current 80 hour two-week period. For example, if someone works fifty hours one week, and thirty the next week, they would get ten hours of over-time for the first week, Johnston explained.

The next mediation meeting has not be set. Fontaine indicated that it may be a few weeks before it can be scheduled.