The battle for raises for the road department continues in Clark County Fiscal Court.
In previous meetings, Road Department Supervisor Kevin Wilson told the court that workers in his department should be given raises.
On the agenda for the court’s meeting Wednesday, a firefighter and a deputy jailer were granted status changes and pay raises while Wilson’s workers remain at their beginning salaries.
During the Fiscal Court’s Feb. 27 meeting, Wilson said the Road Department has had more personnel turnover in the past year — which includes the loss of four employees — than he has had in the past six years combined. He emphasized the work is hard and there should be an incentive for workers to stay.
“I’m hoping I’ve tweaked their (fiscal court) interest,” Wilson said. “I hoping they’ll look at the budget and give my employees their raises.”
Wilson also said that it was a good idea to take care of county employees in core departments first before giving money to entities that have no emergency aspects.
Commissioner JoEllen Reed is a strong supporter of the proposed raises for the Road Department workers.
“Everyone needs to have some sort of compensation for their hard work,” she said.
Also at the previous regular meeting, Wilson addressed how jail employees are given a 75-cent raise after six months of uninterrupted service while his employees receive nothing. Judge-Executive Henry Branham said the 75-cent raises were an incentive to keep the jail properly staffed.
On Wednesday, Branham discussed attempting to implement a step salary increase for the road workers who have been employed longer than six months, as well as employees of other departments, such as employees of the animal shelter.
“By the budget meeting, I hope we can come up with a plan,” Commissioner Vanessa Rogers said.
The board has previously discussed not funding any more programs to save money and possibly cutting back on the ones already in place.
“I’m interested to see what services will be cut so the public will know,” Commissioner Rick Smith said.
Contact Kendall Sparks at ksparks@winchestersun.com.
