|
 Board member Scott Schaffenacker made a motion to approve a
budget amendment for the salary change. The money would be moved one
line item to another in the Animal Control Budget.
Board member Kevin Bateman said the salary would change from $28,000
to $30,000. Bateman said in January, Whiteman was hired for the
warden's job at a reduced rate with a review planned in six months.
Bateman said Whiteman came in during a "firestorm" and expenses have
been trending down since she took over. He said Whiteman tries to
stay within her budget because she is very "business oriented" in
cutting expenses and seeing where she can save money.
Bateman also said that he has not heard many complaints like he did
about the previous warden and he feels the increase is warranted.
Finance Chairman Chuck Ruben said Animal Control's budget for gas
and oil has been expended. He said they are at 46.5 percent for the
year with several months left and there is no room to take out of
the intended line. Ruben said maybe the amount could be taken from
somewhere else.
 Schaffenacker said the $2,000 amount could be amended to $250
because Animal Control had budgeted a salary for the former warden
that was over $30,000.
Bateman asked about moving the amount from the $12,000 building
fund. He said changing a line item in the building fund from $12,000
to $10,000 would not be a problem since the money is there.
Ruben said he was not sure why they would take the money from the
building fund.
Schaffenacker made a motion to move $2,000 from the building fund to
the salary line in Animal Control.
Ruben said he feels raises should be done at budget time when it is
much easier.
Schaffenacker said six months ago, the board agreed to review the
salary after six months.
Rohlfs said the board agreed to review her performance at six months
and possibly adjust the salary. He said six months is a good time to
review performance and they should work the increase into the next
budget. He said "jacking up salaries" in the middle of the year
would set a bad precedent.
Board Chairman David Hepler said the minutes from the meeting when
Whiteman was hired stated they would hire her at $28,000 with a
review at six months. He said the minutes did not say anything about
a salary review at after six months.
Rohlfs asked whether Whiteman had asked for the salary increase.
Bateman said she had not asked for the increase. He said, "As
co-chair of the Animal Control Committee, I feel she is
well-deserving." He said Whiteman "has taken a difficult situation
and made it non-existent." He said Whiteman has made a lot of
positive changes in how Animal Control is run and follows standards.
Hepler said six months would be a performance review.
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Bateman said he assumed the review would be based on Whiteman's performance and
the pay increase would still be under the amount made by the previous warden,
and they would still be under budget at the end of the year.
Board member Miles Craig said he assumed Whiteman's salary would be increased
after six months. He said it would not set a bad precedent due to the unusual
circumstances under which Whiteman was appointed.
Board member Pat O'Neill said $2,000 seems like a steep raise after six months.
He feels a raise would be better after a year. O'Neill said Whiteman would also
receive an annual salary increase at budget time.
Rohlfs asked what Whiteman's salary was when she was the Assistant Animal
Warden.
Schaffenacker said it was around $25,000.
Schaffenacker said the amount budgeted for previous warden's salary was $31,784.
Rohlfs said the question is not whether she deserves the raise, but the timing
of the raise.
Craig said, "We have someone who is doing a better job than the last warden, but
making substantially less than the last warden." He said the increase would mean
paying Whiteman appropriately for the job she is doing. Craig said pay
discrepancy is why the public industry loses people to private industry.
Hepler said seniority factors into pay and someone in the first year of a job is
not paid like someone who has been in the job for ten years or more.
Hepler said he is more comfortable voting for an increase at budget time. Other
employees who have been in their positions much longer just got small increases
recently.
Bateman and Schaffenacker both withdrew their original motions.
Schaffenacker's motion for a budget amendment to take $2,000 out of one line
item and transfer it to another line item failed with Hepler, Rick Aylesworth,
Dave Blankenship, Bob Farmer, O'Neill, Rohlfs, and Ruben voting no. Bateman,
Craig and Emily Davenport voted yes. Schaffenacker abstained from the vote.
Board members present were Rick Aylesworth, Kevin Bateman, Dave Blankenship,
Miles Craig, Emily Davenport, Chairman David Hepler, Vice Chairman Bob Farmer,
Pat O’Neill, Gene Rohlfs, Chuck Ruben and Scott Schaffenacker. Adam Schmidt was
absent.
The next regular board meeting will be Tuesday, August 16, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.
[Angela Reiners] |
