Conciliator rules in favor of HCSO; department may consider layoffs
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
The conciliator in binding arbitration has ruled in favor of raises for employees with the Highland County Sheriff¹s Office. However, the county maintains it does not have additional funds to appropriate to the office, and raises for some could result in layoffs for approximately 20 percent of HCSO staff if the contract is finalized.
Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward said that the conciliator has ruled in favor of the Fraternal Order of Police negotiating for the employees of the Highland County Sheriff's Office, granting them a 33-cent raise per house, retroactive to January.
Ward said that even though he believes his people deserve the raise, the funds are not there to support it, and could result in layoffs for 8-9 people, which Ward said is approximately 25 percent of his staff.
However, the contract is only tentative, and the county is currently working trying to work out an agreement with the union so the office can operate on budget, and jobs will not be lost. President of the Highland County Commission Shane Wilkin said the increase equals between $40,000 to $45,000 the office would need in order to make payroll.
Wilkin said the funds just aren't there.
"I do not have any funds to appropriate," Wilkin said. "Expenditures are approximately $8.3 million according to the auditor, and we appropriated $8.3 million. Until either we hit $8.3 million in receipts or have unanticipated revenue between $40,000 and $45,000 (the county doesn't have the funds) unless we take it away from other departments."
Because the county cannot appropriate additional funds to accommodate the raise, the funds will have to come out of what is already in the HCSO budget.
Ward said that there's not enough to give everyone the raise and keep the current staffing level.
"Without additional appropriations, I have six pay periods to make that up since the arbitrator's decision went retroactive to January at 33-cents on the hour and into 2012. That's not appropriated in 2012's budget. If that decision would go through, that would mean approximately eight or nine layoffs. We've only got six pay periods to make that up. Next year we might be able to recall a few of them if we can get it into next year's budget."
Ward said that no one wants to see layoffs, including the employees, and the conciliator¹s ruling was just Œa bad decision."
"Now, the tentative agreement would be significantly less than what the arbitrator awarded the employees," Ward said. "The employees won this arbitration, no questions. But the employees are cognizant of the fact that it's going to cost eight or nine people. We¹re already running at a skeleton crew. It's a bad decision. I don't think he listened to both sides and I don't think he based his decision on the economic situation of the county. The employees recognize this could cost many jobs. The union met Monday and they are putting something together in writing to the county, and once that is signed off on, it will be official."
Ward said that the HCSO employees are looking to "do what is right for the county and not necessarily what is right for themselves. Our employees have really stepped up." With 44 people currently on staff, Ward said that he would have to lay off roughly 20 percent of the employees.
"We've cut 22 percent over the last two years. That's close to 50 percent of our manpower in two and a half years. We can't perform the functions we have to perform with staff levels like that," Ward said.
If staffing levels are cut, Ward said, it will affect their ability to sufficiently serve the people of Highland County.
"We have 544 square miles to cover, a jail to run, courts to serve, sex offenders to register and monitor, concealed carry permits to process, and lastly but most importantly to the people we have crime to solve, which is the least mandated part of my office, but actually the most important. This is a devastating decision that has been handed down. Not only does it talk about a raise this year, it carries into next year and next year's budget. I don't anticipate an increase in my budget, and very possibly my budget could be decreased next year."
Ward said that the agreement could be finalized as early as the end of this week, but most likely would not be agreed upon until early next week.
"I wish I could give them a $5 an hour raise. They are hard-working, dedicated employees, and they do the best they can for the citizens of this county in every function and facet," Ward said. "But we can't afford it."
The conciliator in binding arbitration has ruled in favor of raises for employees with the Highland County Sheriff's Office. However, the county maintains it does not have additional funds to appropriate to the office, and raises for some could result in layoffs for approximately 20 percent of HCSO staff if the contract is finalized.
Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward said that the conciliator has ruled in favor of the Fraternal Order of Police negotiating for the employees of the Highland County Sheriff's Office, granting them a 33-cent raise per hour, retroactive to January.
Ward said that even though he believes his people deserve the raise, the funds are not there to support it, and could result in layoffs for 8-9 people, which Ward said is approximately 25 percent of his staff.
However, the contract is only tentative, and the county is currently working trying to work out an agreement with the union so the office can operate on budget, and jobs will not be lost. President of the Highland County Commission Shane Wilkin said the increase equals between $40,000 to $45,000 the office would need in order to make payroll.
Wilkin said the funds just aren't there.
"I do not have any funds to appropriate," Wilkin said. "Expenditures are approximately $8.3 million according to the auditor, and we appropriated $8.3 million. Until either we hit $8.3 million in receipts or have unanticipated revenue between $40,000 and $45,000 (the county doesn't have the funds) unless we take it away from other departments."
Because the county cannot appropriate additional funds to accommodate the raise, the funds will have to come out of what is already in the HCSO budget.
Ward said that there's not enough to give everyone the raise and keep the current staffing level.
"Without additional appropriations, I have six pay periods to make that up since the arbitrator's decision went retroactive to January at 33-cents on the hour and into 2012. That's not appropriated in 2012's budget. If that decision would go through, that would mean approximately eight or nine layoffs. We've only got six pay periods to make that up. Next year we might be able to recall a few of them if we can get it into next year's budget."
Ward said that no one wants to see layoffs, including the employees, and the conciliator¹s ruling was just a bad decision."
"Now, the tentative agreement would be significantly less than what the arbitrator awarded the employees," Ward said. "The employees won this arbitration, no questions. But the employees are cognizant of the fact that it's going to cost eight or nine people. We¹re already running at a skeleton crew. It's a bad decision. I don't think he listened to both sides and I don't think he based his decision on the economic situation of the county. The employees recognize this could cost many jobs. The union met Monday and they are putting something together in writing to the county, and once that is signed off on, it will be official."
Ward said that the HCSO employees are looking to "do what is right for the county and not necessarily what is right for themselves. Our employees have really stepped up." With 44 people currently on staff, Ward said that he would have to lay off roughly 20 percent of the employees.
"We've cut 22 percent over the last two years. That's close to 50 percent of our manpower in two and a half years. We can't perform the functions we have to perform with staff levels like that," Ward said.
If staffing levels are cut, Ward said, it will affect their ability to sufficiently serve the people of Highland County.
"We have 544 square miles to cover, a jail to run, courts to serve, sex offenders to register and monitor, concealed carry permits to process, and lastly but most importantly to the people we have crime to solve, which is the least mandated part of my office, but actually the most important. This is a devastating decision that has been handed down. Not only does it talk about a raise this year, it carries into next year and next year's budget. I don't anticipate an increase in my budget, and very possibly my budget could be decreased next year."
Ward said that the agreement could be finalized as early as the end of this week, but most likely would not be agreed upon until early next week.
"I wish I could give them a $5 an hour raise. They are hard-working, dedicated employees, and they do the best they can for the citizens of this county in every function and facet," Ward said. "But we can't afford it."
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