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Franklin County Commissioners discuss implementing pay scale structure

4 mins read

FARMINGTON — Two corrections officers were promoted to sergeants at the Franklin County Detention Center. Michael Pratt and John Coleman both have military backgrounds, Major Doug Blauvelt said, and both passed the sergeant’s examination. The Franklin County commissioners approved both promotions during the May 3 meeting.

In addition, corrections officer Stephen Charles II was appointed to a full-time position. Another officer at a similar level of experience and training requested to reduce hours from full-time to part-time, so the officers essentially traded positions.

County Treasurer Pam Prodan presented the commissioners with her recommendation on an investment account for the American Rescue Plan Act funds. Her department researched the interest rates on a number of local banks and concluded that Franklin Savings Bank had the highest interest rates for a sweep-type checking account, and Prodan recommended that the commissioners approve putting funds into that bank. The commissioners voted to transfer the funds and take Franklin Savings Bank up on their previous offer for assistance with the process.

About a year ago the county tech department had concerns that they had been hacked. According to IT Manager Jim Desjardins, the cybersecurity insurance company, an underwriter for Keyes Insurance, told them to contact another company to monitor the system and determine if they had been hacked. The end result was a clean bill of health for the county’s cyber security, as well as a $10,000 bill for services. The insurance company then denied the county’s claim, apparently saying that the county didn’t meet the requirements for coverage on that bill. The commissioners asked Desjardins to contact Keyes Insurance. They also asked him to check other counties for their cyber security insurance options.

Heidi Jordan, Register of Probate, presented the commissioners with her concerns about a 22 percent pay increase for a trial assistant and office administrator with the District Attorney’s office. Jordan said that the job duties were similar for that position and for the deputy Register of Probate and the deputy Register of Deeds. She proposed a similar increase for the deputy Register of Probate, who has thirty years of experience compared to the office administrator’s sixteen years.

The commissioners felt they needed to be careful discussing the issue in a public meeting; however, the previous salary increase was discussed in a public meeting when the commissioners reviewed their budget.

No action was taken on Jordan’s request. Commissioner Terry Brann stated he did not want to discuss it further.

Tiffany Baker with Human Resources said that the commissioners needed a uniform salary structure. She had previously complied something which the commissioners did not adopt. Without a salary structure, the commissioners run the risk of uneven rates of pay for the employees. The union employees have a structure and bargaining agreements for setting salaries, but there is no structure for non-union employees.

Baker asked for confirmation that the commissioners would be open to reviewing a structure, as she put a lot of work into the last proposal she gave them.

Sue Pratt, the county’s ARPA consultant, said that an established pay structure would help protect the commissioners and the county.

Commissioner Lance Harvell thought they did need to address a pay scale structure and wanted to look at it again.

Commissioner Clyde Barker was unable to attend the commissioners meeting again as he felt unwell.

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