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The Kosciusko County Council approved wage committee recommendations prior to hearing 2007 budget requests Monday.
Wage committee member and councilman Brad Tandy gave a wage committee report recommending an across-the-board 3 percent salary increase for full- and part-time employees.
Wage committee members include commissioner Brad Jackson, councilmen Tandy and Larry Teghtmeyer, county administrator Ron Robinson and county auditor Sue Ann Mitchell.
Recently, the committee heard from Bob Weaver, health department administrator, concerning the tuberculosis nurse's wages indicating a federal grant is paying less than what wages should be.
The position is mandated because of the many TB cases being managed in the county. The county will pay the wage difference.
Surveyor Dick Kemper's request to elevate a drainage secretary to a geographical imaging system technician, elevate the current ditch research position to drainage secretary, and eliminate one ditch research position was approved.
The GIS technician, which was paid in the auditor's budget, will be paid by the commissioners' budget.
The housekeeping supervisor's position was elevated to a higher level.
Re-enumeration for election workers were increased 4 percent at the request of County Clerk Sharon Christner. Inspectors will receive $120, up from $115, and judges will receive $100, up from $95. Election board members will receive a 42 percent increase, or $500, up from $350. Meal allowances will be $20 instead of $15.
Deputy clerks working on election day will receive overtime wages instead of a per-day rate.
Wages for county judges in 2007 are set at $115,282, less a health care adjustment of $2,522. Judges' wages increase on an annual basis at the same rate as other state employees. Each judge receives a $5,000 supplement from the county.
Tandy said the sheriff's contract is tied to the judges' wages. The sheriff receives a salary at 80 percent of the judges' wages, or $92,226, for 2007.
Probation officer wages are set by state code and the committee agreed the county should continue to follow the state's pay guidelines.
Highway Superintendent Dennis Pletcher's request to elevate a truck driver position to mechanic was approved.
An additional full-time dispatcher position was approved.
The Redevelopment Commission requested a budget to pay for expenses related to the commission's business. The budget includes money for contractual secretarial assistance, legal assistance, office supplies and other miscellaneous expenditures, which was approved.
The Purdue University Extension Office requested an increase, however, the wage committee felt the increase was not warranted because the office has been understaffed for the last two years.
The chief deputies of elected officials will be paid at 75 percent of the elected officials wages.
The county auditor's chief deputy's wage was set at 75 percent of the auditor's salary, less $6,000.
An auditor-elect position was created for the incoming auditor. This allows the incoming auditor to have the benefit of working in various parts of the auditor's job a year in advance of being the auditor.
The current auditor, Sue Ann Mitchell, served as the Y2K coordinator and as an assistant to the previous auditor prior to taking office.
