06-06-2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commission Minutes--June 6, 2005 2906 MOTION, passed Mr. Wagner moved and Mr. Pawluk seconded that county department heads use a 3.25% increase to the salary scale as a cost of living adjustment for 2006 budget purposes. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. 14. MERIT SYSTEM SALARY SCALE, Social Service emplovee salarv plan Kathy Hogan, Social Services Director, was present regarding legislation passed this year to allow counties to adopt the North Dakota Merit System salary scale on July 1, by formal action of the board of commissioners. She asked the board to adopt the State salary scale for 2005 and 2006 to allow Social Service employees whose salaries were frozen to receive a 4% cost of living adjustment as of July 1 this year and July 1 next year. She said some employees have not had a salary increase since 2003, and none of the employees will be above what the county salary schedule allows. Mrs. Hogan will discuss county procedures with Bonnie Johnson and Mike Montplaisir to follow the same course of action as other employees if there is a performance concern when an individual is due for a step increase. She said the step increase may be delayed in that case; however, retroactive pay would not be given. MOTION, passed Mr. Wagner moved and Mrs. Sorum seconded that the Cass County Commission adopt July 1, 2005 and July 1, 2006 as the effective date for adoption of the state salary compensation plan for Social Service employees who are frozen by the State Merit System. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. 15. ROAD DEPARTMENT, County Road 34 drainaQe Keith Berndt, County Engineer, provided an update on the County Road 34 drainage project east of Arthur. This has been an ongoing situation where the work outlined in a drainage permit from the water resource board was not properly completed, and Mr. Berndt estimates it would cost $400,000 for 2% miles of ditch improvement. Prior meetings with the interested parties have not resulted in any type of agreement to help pay for the necessary repairs. Mr. Berndt recommends proceeding with the project using county crews at a lesser cost since salary and equipment are already included in the county budget. It is a larger project than is typically undertaken with county forces, however, he feels it is within their capability. Mr. Vanyo said it appears as though the county is undertaking the full burden of rectifying a bad situation. He said there were a number of parties initially involved in the project with the county, including water resource, Moore Engineering and private property owners. Roger Nelson, Greg Nelson, and their attorney, Craig Johnson, were notified of today's meeting but did not attend. Trent Mahler, Assistant Cass County State's Attorney, has reviewed the situation and believes the county has the ability to recoup some of the loss if the situation is remedied by the county. He said the situation involves a drainage ditch that was wrongly modified and it needs to be corrected. He said there are some legal issues that could cause concern for the county, one being the potential for liability.