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By VICKI URBANIK When the Porter County Council approved raises during budget hearings last fall, it’s doubtful that anyone intended to exclude some county employees from that decision. But that’s what happened at the Porter County Assessor’s office, where several employees didn’t get the $1,000 raises that most other county employees did, while others were granted larger pay hikes but their recent paychecks haven’t reflected any increase at all. The county council on Tuesday corrected those two discrepancies but only after a lengthy discussion mired in confusion over which figures were accurate. Council member Karen Conover, R-3rd, summed up the issue this way: “This is a mess.” At first, it was thought that because of the confusing nature of the budget hearings, the salary amounts that the council members verbally approved during their budget votes differed from the amounts listed on paper for seven assessor employees whose 2009 paychecks have not reflected an increase. But after more discussion, it became apparent that the numbers that the council verbally approved were the same that County Assessor John Scott and Chief Deputy Shirley LaFever said they should be. The discrepancy appears to have arisen because of an incorrect amount listed on a separate salary form. County council member Laura Blaney, D-at large, questioned why the issue was even before the council if the matter had already been decided. Council member Dan Whitten, D-at large, said if the council did nothing, the salaries would be at the level that Scott and LaFever proposed. “I make a motion, we pay them what we passed,” he said. Whitten’s motion directing the county auditor’s office to pay the assessor employees the correct salaries passed on a 4-3 vote. The raises for this group of employees range from $1,087 to $4,902, with a new salary range of $24,395 to $30,205. Voting yes were Blaney, Whitten, Michael Bucko, D-4th, and Sylvia Graham, D-at large. Voting no were council president Robert Poparad, D-1st, Rita Stevenson, D-2nd, and Conover, who proposed a revised set of salaries that would equalize the pay for a number of the assessor staff who hold the same certification. The second issue dealing with the assessor’s office concerned four employees whose pay hikes fell short of the $1,000 raise that was awarded to most other county employees. One of the employees, Liz Beach, told the council that it’s unfair that as a 20-year county employee, she ended up with only a $476 raise, while others got $1,000 or more. Three other assessor employees ended up with even smaller raises. Poparad passed the gavel as president and made a motion to grant the $1,000 raises to Beach and the three others. He said he cannot accept the fact that someone like Beach got shortchanged, while another assessor employee who previously was a township assessor ended up with a raise of nearly $15,000 when she transitioned to the county assessor’s office last year. Poparad’s motion passed unanimously. One other assessor employee ended up with a $1,549 cut in pay, but the council opted not to change this particular salary on the grounds that duties changed. Drug Task Force Also Tuesday, the council once again appropriated $250,000 from the county’s casino fund to expand the county prosecutor’s undercover drug task force from four to eight people. The council first agreed in 2007 that the drug task force should be expanded; however, the additional officers have not yet been hired, and the money reverted back to the county’s fund. Poparad expressed hope that this year, the additional officers will get in place. Overtime Porter County Sheriff Dave Lain withdrew his request for $50,000 in additional overtime funds for police officers and $25,000 for overtime at the county jail. But Lain urged the council to remember his need for overtime pay, because he will definitely return later for the funds. Typically, he said, overtime at the jail runs about $60,000 a year, though this year he was budgeted for only $25,000. Several council members expressed concern about approving the additional funds so early in the new budget year, prompting Lain to pull his request. The council did approve an additional $20,000 in overtime for the county highway department. Supervisor Al Hoagland said last year at this time, 540 overtime hours were accumulated during the winter snow-plowing season but that so far this season, 1,311 overtime hours have been amassed. Hollenbeck Honored The council opened its meeting Tuesday by presenting a plaque to former attorney Dave Hollenbeck, who served as council attorney for 33 years. “It’s amazing how quickly 33 years can go by,” Hollenbeck said, who joked that from now on, the fourth Tuesday of the month for him will be “date night” instead of the county council night. Hollenbeck said the council will confront new challenges, as more and more responsibilities fall onto counties, but said the council is in good hands with new attorney Scott McClure. He received a round of applause and a standing ovation from council members. Posted 1/28/2009 |
