Commission, sheriff discuss dispatchers' compensation, binding arbitration talks
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
With binding arbitration looming on the horizon for the Highland County Sheriff's Office, Highland County Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst, and Jeremy Shaffer met with Sheriff Ron Ward Wednesday, June 8, at the commissioners' request.
Ward was asked to attend the commissioners' weekly meeting in order to discuss the 9-1-1 wireless personnel budget. According to Wilkin, "expenses may be headed in the wrong direction."
Wilkin was referring to the HCSO 9-1-1 fund, through which two sheriff's office dispatchers have been compensated.
"(Historically) We'd never used this fund for dispatchers' salaries," Ward said. The decision was made with this board's approval. Rather than lay off dispatchers, we pay two dispatchers from the 9-1-1 fund. My goal was to wean them out of that fund and back to the general fund. The budget I submitted for next year does not include that. This fund needs to pay for the next 9-1-1 upgrade," Ward said.
"I guess I need some input from the board," Ward said.
Wilkin responded, "Part of it we will see how it shakes out with the FOP binding arbitration."
"A lot hinges on that and where it (arbitration) goes," Horst said.
Ward told commissioners, "If we could get one or both dispatchers off this fund, that's my goal. Once we find direction on next year's budget, we can get a better grasp on it. I don't think they've selected the panel of arbiters yet."
Ward told commissioners he expected the binding arbitration negotiations to be settled toward the end of the year.
Horst asked the sheriff, "What's your staffing now?"
Ward responded, "We have two dispatchers per shift. It's very difficult to do with less than two. Like yesterday (June 7), we had a drowning at the lake, plus a separate water issue at the lake. With less than two dispatchers, you put the safety of the people at risk."
"This (meeting) is more of a heads-up to get this on everybody's radar," Wilkin said.
"Overall, our office is at a skeleton staff to get the job done every day. To be honest, some days it isn't getting done," the sheriff said.
• Following the discussion on the wireless personnel budget, Ward then informed commissioners of an estimate of $5,600-$5,900 for an HVAC system repair at the Highland County Justice Center.
Commissioners said they would contact Hillsboro Municipal Court Judge David McKenna to see if he had a special projects fund that could pay for all or part of the repair.
On an unrelated topic, Wilkin asked the sheriff, "With Greenfield going from a city to a village, will their jail stay open or will they contract with you?"
"(Greenfield Police Chief) Tim Hester and I have not had discussions on this," Ward said. "I don't know."
Horst then instructed County Commission Clerk Debbie Sansone to contact Weller's Plumbing and Heating in Greenfield to fix the air conditioning problem at the Justice Center as soon as possible.
• In other business, commissioners met with representatives from the Highland County Airport Authority regarding the authority's annual audit. Commissioners suggested the audit be included within the annual Highland County audit, rather than as a separate audit for the airport authority.
Recent audits have cost the county as much as $8,000 for the airport authority.
According to Wilkin, the airport authority audit could be included with the Highland County audit as a "discreetly presented component unit."
"We wanted to run this by you," Wilkin told the authority. "It seems like a way to save money."
"Is there anything keeping us from doing this?" an airport authority asked. According to Horst, the main reason for doing it is to save the county money. Airport authority member Dan Cowdrey told commissioners, "We'll need to get monthly financial statements to (Highland County Auditor) Bill Fawley."
Horst suggested county commissioners and airport authority members can meet with Fawley and discuss the transition.
Resolutions
Commissioners passed the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
• An advance to the Mowrystown sewage fund for $18,425.
• A modification to the Children Services budget from services to travel for $25.
• A modification to the commissioners budget from services to other expenses for $3,000.
• A modification from commissioners services to common pleas judge's salary for $488.52.
• A modification from commissioners services to probate court judge's salary for $488.52.
• A final resolution for the Highland County engineer to proceed and enter into a contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation for a bridge replacement.[[In-content Ad]]
Ward was asked to attend the commissioners' weekly meeting in order to discuss the 9-1-1 wireless personnel budget. According to Wilkin, "expenses may be headed in the wrong direction."
Wilkin was referring to the HCSO 9-1-1 fund, through which two sheriff's office dispatchers have been compensated.
"(Historically) We'd never used this fund for dispatchers' salaries," Ward said. The decision was made with this board's approval. Rather than lay off dispatchers, we pay two dispatchers from the 9-1-1 fund. My goal was to wean them out of that fund and back to the general fund. The budget I submitted for next year does not include that. This fund needs to pay for the next 9-1-1 upgrade," Ward said.
"I guess I need some input from the board," Ward said.
Wilkin responded, "Part of it we will see how it shakes out with the FOP binding arbitration."
"A lot hinges on that and where it (arbitration) goes," Horst said.
Ward told commissioners, "If we could get one or both dispatchers off this fund, that's my goal. Once we find direction on next year's budget, we can get a better grasp on it. I don't think they've selected the panel of arbiters yet."
Ward told commissioners he expected the binding arbitration negotiations to be settled toward the end of the year.
Horst asked the sheriff, "What's your staffing now?"
Ward responded, "We have two dispatchers per shift. It's very difficult to do with less than two. Like yesterday (June 7), we had a drowning at the lake, plus a separate water issue at the lake. With less than two dispatchers, you put the safety of the people at risk."
"This (meeting) is more of a heads-up to get this on everybody's radar," Wilkin said.
"Overall, our office is at a skeleton staff to get the job done every day. To be honest, some days it isn't getting done," the sheriff said.
• Following the discussion on the wireless personnel budget, Ward then informed commissioners of an estimate of $5,600-$5,900 for an HVAC system repair at the Highland County Justice Center.
Commissioners said they would contact Hillsboro Municipal Court Judge David McKenna to see if he had a special projects fund that could pay for all or part of the repair.
On an unrelated topic, Wilkin asked the sheriff, "With Greenfield going from a city to a village, will their jail stay open or will they contract with you?"
"(Greenfield Police Chief) Tim Hester and I have not had discussions on this," Ward said. "I don't know."
Horst then instructed County Commission Clerk Debbie Sansone to contact Weller's Plumbing and Heating in Greenfield to fix the air conditioning problem at the Justice Center as soon as possible.
• In other business, commissioners met with representatives from the Highland County Airport Authority regarding the authority's annual audit. Commissioners suggested the audit be included within the annual Highland County audit, rather than as a separate audit for the airport authority.
Recent audits have cost the county as much as $8,000 for the airport authority.
According to Wilkin, the airport authority audit could be included with the Highland County audit as a "discreetly presented component unit."
"We wanted to run this by you," Wilkin told the authority. "It seems like a way to save money."
"Is there anything keeping us from doing this?" an airport authority asked. According to Horst, the main reason for doing it is to save the county money. Airport authority member Dan Cowdrey told commissioners, "We'll need to get monthly financial statements to (Highland County Auditor) Bill Fawley."
Horst suggested county commissioners and airport authority members can meet with Fawley and discuss the transition.
Resolutions
Commissioners passed the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
• An advance to the Mowrystown sewage fund for $18,425.
• A modification to the Children Services budget from services to travel for $25.
• A modification to the commissioners budget from services to other expenses for $3,000.
• A modification from commissioners services to common pleas judge's salary for $488.52.
• A modification from commissioners services to probate court judge's salary for $488.52.
• A final resolution for the Highland County engineer to proceed and enter into a contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation for a bridge replacement.[[In-content Ad]]