The exterior of Bartholomew County Courthouse in Columbus, Ind., pictured, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. Mike Wolanin | The Republic
COLUMBUS, Ind. —
The Bartholomew County Council has voted to raise pay for certain county employees starting next month, capping off about a year of discussion, debate and stalemate on the issue while staff continues to leave county government in droves.
The council voted 6-1 Tuesday to amend the county’s salary ordinance and increase salaries for 169 employees to the average or mid-range level of pay of those doing the same jobs in other counties based on a recent salary study and recommendations from department heads, according to figures provided by the Bartholomew County Auditor’s Office.
Council President Greg Duke was the only member to vote against the raises.
The raises, which take effect July 1, will cost the county about $263,954 this year, well below the $1 million the council set aside during last year’s budget process for the purpose of raising salaries, according to figures from the auditor’s office.
Overall, the county employs more than 400 people but lost 35 employees during the first five months of the year, which county officials said was “much higher” than normal.
However, the raises vary in amount, ranging from about $21 to more than $7,500 annually for some full-time employees, though many of the raises were well over $1,000 per year, the auditor’s office reported.
The vote came 13 months after the council voted 4-3 to hire Muncie-based Waggoner, Irwin, Scheele & Associates to do conduct a study to determine which county employees are underpaid compared to their peers in other counties. The county paid the company $14,640 to do the study.
This past spring, the company presented the study’s results to the council during a work session, though some members criticized the results, The Republic previously reported.
Greg Duke
For the complete story, see Thursday’s Republic.
