BROOVILLE — In an effort to restructure his office and at the same time save the county money, Sheriff Sam Bartley asked the Jefferson County Salary Board to approve a new position while eliminating two others.
Bartley proposed creating “the position of an office manager, to oversee the civil end of daily operations.” The new position would replace the real estate deputy and department clerk positions. He said the clerk position, which is now open, was “created to help when we took over the civil work for the magistrates a few years back. Our work was dramatically increased, probably four times the amount a month.”
He recommended a salary increase of $7 per hour if the position was approved. With the current salary, he estimated the manager’s salary and benefits would be around $31,668.
“Looking at the financial end of it, I’m looking at potentially saving the county thousands of dollars by merging this into one position, compared to having two positions in the sheriff’s office. I am trying to save the county money and I also don’t want to eliminate the magistrate work. We have a good working relationship with the three magistrates. That is more work on top of the Court of Common Pleas, our primary job.”
He said income from work done for the magistrates would cover the increase. “This person is taking on three different magistrates coming into our office, plus running the office. I have never asked the deputies to do the civil end of this; they are needed to do the criminal end. This employee is a huge asset. I am still looking at saving the county money, but I know what I have and I know what I need.”
Commissioners Jeff Pisarcik and Scott North said the $7 increase was “a stretch.” North said he was thinking of a $2 increase.
County treasurer Jim VanSteenberg said, “We’re looking at two people making $55 to $75 grand a year, and we’re cutting it down to less than half of that. I think that is a heck of a cost savings. The position is already there and if we fill that position, it is going to cost us that extra $35-$40,000. If we can get that done for that amount of money, I think that just makes good sense.”
After lengthy discussion, the board voted 3-2 in favor of the proposal. Voting for the proposal were Commissioner Mark Humes, VanSteenberg and Bartley. Voting against the proposal were Pisarcik and North.
Bartley also asked the board to bring back the position of sergeant in the Sheriff’s Department. The position was created in 2015 through the union, which “is no longer established with our office.” The role of the sergeant would be to oversee the deputies who are doing field work, “whether it is in the courthouse or going out doing warrants. Right now I have sheriff, chief deputy and deputies in the office,” he said.
He recommended the sergeant’s salary be increased by 50 cents per hour. The motion passed unanimously.
Probation
Jefferson County Judge John H. Foradora asked the board to approve on-call hours for three probation supervisors, at a rate of $225 per week.
“Our overtime is ridiculous,” Pisarcik said.”I don’t think anybody’s hours are more important than anybody else’s.” He said it “should all be put together, that everybody makes the same.”
Current on-call rates in the county range from $125 to $250.
“What is on-call? On-call can mean different things in different departments,” North said. “If you are on-call, there has to be some level of compensation. Federal law doesn’t stipulate what that is.”
“If you are on-call, you have to be available,” Pisarcik said.
North suggested taking “a better look at this,” then “we can say, ‘this is what the county’s on-call’” policy is.
The board approved the motion unanimously.
