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Montmorency County nixes return of longevity pay

ATLANTA — The Montmorency County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday voted 3-2 again reinstating longevity pay for county employees.

County board Chairman Dave Wagner and Commissioners Bert LaFleche and Daryl Peterson voted against the motion, while Vice Chairman Don Edwards and Commissioner Gary Girardin voted in favor.

The defeated motion would have reinstated longevity pay for elected and non-union full-time employees who have worked for the county for five consecutive years or more. Those employees would have been paid $50 for each year of service, up to $1,000.

Reinstating longevity pay would have cost the county an estimated $12,380 this year and $13,780 in 2020, according to Edwards, who made the motion. He said reinstating longevity pay would show the county’s longtime employees they are appreciated.

“I think it’s wrong we took it away back then, and I’d like to reinstate it,” he said.

Peterson said longevity pay was taken away as a cost-cutting move a few years ago.

County Clerk Cheryl Neilsen voiced her frustration over the discrepancy in pay between the county’s existing employees and new employees being hired by the county.

“A perfect example is the board secretary that you just hired,” she said. “I have somebody in my office with 11 years of experience, and, in 90 days (the new board secretary) is going to be making more money than the person down in my office.”

The board hired Christi Cross as the new secretary to the board and will pay her $16 per hour, according to minutes from the board’s Nov. 13 meeting. Her pay would increase by 50 cents to $16.50 per hour after her probationary period ends.

Neilsen also voiced her frustration with the board for giving employees “raises at random rates.” She said the county no longer has a set wage scale and isn’t looking at a comparative rate scale when it determines wages for incoming employees.

Peterson said the county would be short $10,000 if they approved the reinstatement of longevity pay. Wagner said he cast the dissenting vote because so much about the 2020 budget is unknown right now.

The discussion comes three months after county commissioners were criticized by department heads for how the board handles salary increases. In September, commissioners gave a district court employee a 50-cents-per-hour raise, but did not consider raises for other county employees.

County Prosecutor Vicki Kundinger asked commissioners on Wednesday if they would revisit the longevity pay issue in 60 days.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.

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