Published: October 29, 2009 10:42 pm      

Clark County Commissioners offer direction for department heads

Cuts will still come, but some workers, benefits may be saved

The Clark County Commissioners are helping out the County Council by amending the employee policy handbook.

Several members of the council — David Abbott, Jack Coffman, Barbara Hollis and Kevin Vissing — requested the employee handbook be changed in order to allow some employees to keep their benefits, even if they are not working full-time hours, as work reductions loom because of budget issues.

“Knowing [the cuts are] going to get into salaries of people and people’s jobs — and since we have left it up to each officeholder to decide how they are going to make that cut — we would like to know if the commissioners would consider amending the employee policy handbook that requires 35 hours a week for a salaried employee to receive benefits,” Hollis asked.

Along with the council members requests, several suggestions were offered on how some employees may be retained. Options include splitting salaries between two workers, officeholders closing the office one day week or figuring out another arrangement to allow county workers to at least keep portions of their salaries and benefits, even if they are not working full-time.

Joe Olson, agent of record for employee benefits, said that Indiana law requires a minimum of 20 hours per week in order to offer employee benefits.

The amendment was approved for one year, changing the minimum hours required to 20 hours per week — or 40 hours per pay period.

Along with the request by the council members, Commissioner Ed Meyer prepared a letter of procedures to be implemented as a result of the budget cuts.

The letter said, in part, the county council must exhaust all unobligated funds before the commissioners approve using the cumulative capital development fund; matching grant funds will be accommodated to the extent possible out of the cumulative capital fund; elected officeholders must request in writing their desire to be included in the employee handbook’s full-time benefits section; and the commissioners are requesting department heads provide a letter by Nov. 6 the number of employees being cut from the department and annual contract payments the office is obligated to make in 2010.

Meyer’s letter also was approved.

“I do appreciate you voting on it though, because ... officeholders do need a direction,” said Treasurer Janet Hurst.

“It’s not going to be an easy year, but I think if all of us work together ... I think we can get through the year,” Hollis said.



In other business

• County Health Department Administrator Mike Meyer attended the meeting seeking approval for three grants.

The first grant is a $10,000 bioterrorism preparedness grant; the second grant is $27,447, again relating to bioterrorism preparedness, with portions to be distributed to Louisville and Clark County specifically; and the third grant is $228,693 H1N1 phase-three funding.

All grants were unanimously approved.

Mike Meyer also reported on the vaccines that have been received to protect against swine flu.

The county has received about 5,000 vaccinations, initial participation among the schools is between 65 and 70 percent and the public vaccination planned at the old Kmart building in Clarksville has been pushed back until around Nov. 15, he said.

• Approval for the 2010 county employee benefit plan was presented to commissioners for renewal. The offer from the lowest bidder, Humana, of Louisville, was accepted and Olson’s contract was extended for the next year.

Olson plans on presenting a supplemental optional plan for county retirees at the next commissioners meeting that would give the former workers benefits, but they may not be directly tied to the current benefit plan.

• The commissioners declared an emergency obligating up to $20,000 out of the cumulative capital fund to pay for mold removal and wall repairs to the 911 emergency services building.

• Commissioner Mike Moore made a motion to take $5,000 of his next year’s salary and redistribute it in $1,000 increments to the payroll of the auditor’s office, assessor’s office, clerk’s office, recorder’s office and the treasurer’s office.

The motion was unanimously approved, but must still be passed by the county council and the State Board of Accounts before it goes into effect Jan. 1.