Chairperson Lehman called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Administration Building at 9:10 a.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Mike Lehman, and Terrence Neuzil: Sally Stutsman, and Carol Thompson by phone.

Lehman said there is going to be an increase of overtime in the Sheriff’s Department of $13,337. Horne said this is a late request. Stutsman said she thought hiring the 4 new deputies would eliminate that. Horne said the request was made to Deputy Auditor Chris Edwards. Stutsman said there is a process in the budget and that is to bring it to the Board of Supervisors. Lehman agreed. Stutsman and Thompson said no to the request. Harney said that if there is going to be new staff the overtime budget should decrease. Neuzil asked if the money could be found in that budget. Thompson said that in a budget that size they should be able to find $13,000. She said they would have to give up something else they put in there for this. Lehman said the voice recorder could come out of 911. He said it wasn’t given to them, but Sheriff’s Captain Duane Lewis told Lehman there might be money for that. Stutsman said she agrees with Thompson that they can come up with the money.

Lehman said that because of the discrepancy with Ambulance for overtime, he wondered what it would take if they were given personnel to cut down on the overtime. He said they had put in for $90,000 but it never got registered. He said they had requested 2 half-time people and that might cut down on their overtime that didn’t get registered. Thompson said that she thinks Ambulance Director Mike Sullivan said overtime often occurs if someone has to go on a call at the end of the shift. Neuzil said there are less workers at night and then they have to be on call which is more overtime. Lehman said the part-time positions were .6 full-time employee positions from 10 A.M. to 11 P.M., his peak response time for the 4th ambulance. He said the 2 new people still might not cut down on overtime. Thompson said that as part of the $92,000 the Board should give Sullivan permission to hire people if he thinks it’s more efficient. Stutsman said to ask Sullivan to do an analysis of this and to present it to the Board after the budget. Horne said that as long as the dollars aren’t going to change the Board could give Sullivan flexibility to do a transfer or resolution later on.

Neuzil said the 4% increase issue on the non-bargaining concerns him regarding the negotiation process. He said Human Resources Administrator Lora Shramek has concerns and County Attorney J. Patrick White seems to be of the opinion that there could be a 3.5% increase, and then put the additional money in steps so that they will still probably get that 4% but it won’t show 4% but will show 3.5%. Stutsman said she would be in favor of this and would also be favorable of lowering the elected officials to 4%. The Board discussed past procedures for percentage increases. Neuzil asked how the non-bargaining could be lowered to 3.5% with the steps. Stutsman said the step increases are pretty small and White is probably rationalizing making the step increases larger so there are pay increases through steps rather than just giving an across the board increase. The Board discussed steps and merit increases. Stutsman suggested having a work session about salaries to clear up some general confusion. The Board discussed leaving the increases as they are right now and the Union’s involvement in deciding. Thompson said her thoughts are when you put a lot of thought into a decision you should leave it because second-guessing yourself is usually a mistake.

Stutsman left the meeting at 9:30 a.m.

The Board discussed how they could make a decision and always make decreases but not increases once decided. Thompson and Lehman agreed to stay at 4% and 4.5%. Neuzil said he thinks 3.5% for non-bargaining and 4.5% for elected. Thompson said she is sure the Board will have to approve in a resolution a non-bargaining pay scale. She said that if they want to change it at this time they can do so regardless of what has been budgeted. The Board discussed the Union’s role and how this would affect possibly going with a lower percentage and giving step increases along the way. Thompson said it’s hard to make one overall increase when different departments are handling their salaries and increases differently. Lehman said Stutsman is for 3.5% for non-bargaining and 4% for elected, Neuzil is for 3.5% for non-bargaining and 4.5% for elected, Thompson and himself agree on 4% for non-bargaining and 4.5% for elected, and Harney wants to leave it as is for right now but perhaps revisit it later. Thompson reiterated that this is just money they are setting aside and the only people getting raises are the elected officials because that gets carved in stone when the budget is set. Lehman said there is consensus with the Board to leave it where it is for the time being. Lehman said he would speak with Shramek about getting information so the Board can revisit this.

Adjourned at 10:00 a.m.

Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor

By Casie Parkins, Recording Secretary