The Greene County supervisors approved resolutions for personnel matters at its regular meeting Dec. 10.
County engineer Wade Weiss had previously discussed changing the job classifications of three secondary roads employees. The supervisors okayed a resolution changing Tanner Stauffer’s classification to assistant to the engineer at an annual salary of $62,000; changing Ryan Baugh’s classification to shop superintendent at an hourly wage of $25.76; and changing Kevin Bauer’s classification to fabrication shop superintendent at an hourly wage of $25.76.
Weiss said Bauer’s promotion is “long overdue,” and that the union contract made it difficult to upgrade Bauer’s position. “It’s an example of someone being rewarded who deserved to be rewarded,” board chair John Muir said.
Bauer saves the county an estimated $30-$40,000 per truck by doing fabrication work rather than sending the trucks out for the work. “Everyone benefits from his expertise,” Weiss said.
The supervisors postponed approval of hiring Caleb Jans as a fulltime sheriff’s deputy as of Dec. 19 at a starting salary of $42,560. Jans will replace deputy Kirk Hammer, who resigned earlier this month. Sheriff Jack Williams said he is eager to complete the hiring process so the sheriff’s office doesn’t “run short” of deputies on the work schedule.
Jans is two years into a four-year contract with the Jefferson police department. The county will buy-out the remainder of Jans’ contract, allowing the city to recoup money spent to send Jans to the police academy. Williams first told the supervisors the buy-out would be $6,000. He said Monday the buy-out would be closer to $9,000, as city staff had first calculated the buy-out from Jans’ date of hire, rather than from the date he became certified.
The supervisors declined to give approval of the hire until a definite dollar amount is available.
Jans was paid $39,000 by the city of Jefferson during calendar year 2017, according to the city’s legal notice of employee salaries.
The veterans affairs board remains stymied in hiring a new veterans affairs director. There is currently a vacancy on the board. Jerold Herrick is chair and supervisor Mick Burkett serves ex officio. The vacancy was posted in September and applications were received. Nothing more has been done. Burkett has told his fellow supervisors repeatedly that he doesn’t think it’s his place to take action on setting up interviews. The supervisors haven’t been told why Herrick hasn’t called in applicants.
