By SALINA POST
During their meeting Tuesday morning, Saline County Commissioners are scheduled to consider revising corrections officer wages to help alleviate hiring challenges currently experienced.
About the meeting
Saline County Commission is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday in room 107 of the City-County Building, 300 W. Ash Street. The meetings also can be viewed on Saline County’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwwZp_cTSJ3Nepp_5rOGevA.
To participate in the meetings, citizens will need to use the Zoom link. Use the following link and put in the Meeting ID and passcode:
https://zoom.us/j/96835819901?pwd=bUEvaExUb2ppMEFaUnd6cUd6MmNMUT09
Meeting ID: 968 3581 9901
Passcode: 144636
For further information, contact the County Commission’s Office at (785) 309-5825.
Agenda items
Commissioners are scheduled to consider a request to increase starting wages for corrections officers. According to information in the request for action, "Saline County continues to experience challenges in filling the critical position of Corrections
Officers." Because of that, commissioners asked staff to develop a strategy to increase starting wages for hiring corrections officers.
In late February, the following three options were discussed.
1. Maintaining current grades and starting COs at step 4 at $22.68/hour.
2. Maintaining current grades and starting COs at step 3 at $21.58/hour.
3. Revise the CO I grade from grade 15 to grade 17 and starting at step 2 at $22.40/hour. The effect of this would include revising CO II, CO III, corporal, and sergeant.
It also was suggested that a .75/hour shift differential for jail and patrol employees that start a shift at 5 p.m. or after be added and that the $1,500 hiring incentive be extended for years two and three for corrections officers, the information noted.
Staff is recommending that Option 3 be implemented at the beginning of the county's next pay period. Additionally, staff is recommending that the proposed shift differential be implemented at the beginning of the county's next pay period.
Other items on the Saline County Commission agenda for Tuesday include the following.
●Hear an American Rescue Plan Act update, including changes
●Consider awarding a bid for 2023 road improvement projects
●Consider a purchase award for a crew/fuel truck
●Consider approving training agreements for Phillip Chalmers Trainings and J. Chad Professional Training
●Consider approving lease and service agreements with 360 Document Solutions
●Hear a Community Corrections Department update
●Hear a Road and Bridge Department bi-monthly update
●Hear a financial projection for 2024-2028
To see the full Saline County Commission agenda for Tuesday, click here and then click on the March 7 link.