banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner

Local News

Barry Commissioners set closed session for update on contract negotiations

At the Dec. 20 Barry County Commission meeting, in discussion on where surplus funds in the 2016 budget would go, Commissioner Jim Dull said it was a waste for commissioners to spend $90,000 for a compensation study without finding funds to implement it.

 

He suggested using some end-of-year surplus funding to give the courthouse employees a bonus to settle the contract dispute now and give in-coming commissioners time to,“find the money,” when the 2017 contract comes up.

 

Dull was discouraged by Brown and Commissioner Craig Stolsonburg who said the excess funds are meant go to non-recurring expenses, one time special needs or projects, and using it for ongoing expenses would lead to budgeting problems down the road. “The bonus would give commissioners time to find the money,” Dull maintained. “It is not a recurring expense.”

 

Brown said the discussion was too close to getting into the negotiations, and advised them to set a closed session for any more discussion and to give an update on the contract talks.  The Dec. 27 agenda has a closed session scheduled at the end of the regular meeting.

 

Later, Dull said he couldn’t understand spending $90,000 and then not coming up with anything.

“I’m not in favor of all of it in one year, or even two or three, but at least some of it. We could at least make a token effort to get them a little bit closer…$90,000 could go a long way for bonuses and give new commissioners a little breathing room.”

 

At the end of the year, the unspent funding is usually divided equally and put into the Building Rehabilitation, Vehicle Replacement, Data Processing and Capital Replacement funds.

This year, the funds will go to Building Rehabilitation, where funding is coming for upcoming courthouse renovations, and the Retirement fund, which will go to the Municipal Employees Retirement System to reduce the unfunded accrued liability for general fund pension dividends.

The Vehicle Replacement and Data Processing funds have adequate reserves for several years, Brown said.

 

Listen Live

DOWNLOAD OUR MOBILE APP

FOR YOUR PHONE OR TABLET!

     

Weather

On Air Now

Best Country Hits
Best Country Hits
3:00pm - 7:00pm
Afternoon Drive