AUBURN - Cayuga County Board of Elections Commissioners Dennis Sedor and Cherl Heary took time away from counting absentee ballots Tuesday night to request that the county's Government Operations Committee support a pay raise for four BOE employees before they present a request to the full county Legislature.
Before supporting this request, committee members asked commissioners to make a list comparing the four employees past, present and future duties. Committee members did agree to support equalizing the salaries of the two deputy commissioners.
“Two people doing equal work should be getting equal pay,” said Government Operations Chairman Paul Dudley.
With an increased workload, commissioners hope to increase the two part-time BOE deputy clerk salaries about $900 to $15,000. Sedor also said he would like to equalize the salaries of the two deputy commissioners, Tom Prystal and Deborah Calarco, so they have equal salaries, and then raise them both about $1,500 to $35,000.
Increased requirements from the federal Help America Vote Act and the need to eventually train the public to use new voting machines, require commissioners to allot extra work duties that the four employees were never responsible for before.
“We are putting a lot of extra duties on our employees,” Sedor said. “They are making far below what others are making.”
Commissioners found that these four make a significantly lower salary than the same positions in other counties.
Legislature Chairman George Fearon noted that although some counties pay these BOE positions less than Cayuga County, a majority of counties pay more.
“Our employees are sorely lacking income,” Sedor said.
Committee members also discussed the issue of only one part-time clerk receiving insurance benefits. But Dudley explained nothing could alter this situation since the county policy changed and stopped awarding insurance to part-timers. The current policy does not require part-time employees to receive health benefits, Dudley said.
“We can't do anything with insurance but we do need to equalize pay,” Dudley said.
County Manager Wayne Allen explained that this situation marks the beginning of a tier system for county employees.
“Now every agency has part-time workers with and without benefits. It's going to be a long transition. We have to educate employees about the changes,” Allen said. “But you can't pay people differently for the same job.”
In other news:
- BOE employees requested a final $4,821 from the county, completing the final requests for expenditures due to asbestos contamination in the BOE building on Court Street.
Heary said employees plan on moving back to their original BOE office by December.
Final expenditures included replacement of items including a refrigerator, microwave, blinds and personal items.
- The GOC approved the adoption of a new policy on travel and leave of absence presented by Allen. Travel costs more than $1,000 must be approved by the county manager and an oversight committee. Employees must also give proper notice to the county manager ahead of time for vacation days or as soon as possible for personnel leave and sick days.
Allen said he is working to create a set employee manual because of a lot of polices are not written down.
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
“Two people doing equal work should be getting equal pay,” said Government Operations Chairman Paul Dudley.
With an increased workload, commissioners hope to increase the two part-time BOE deputy clerk salaries about $900 to $15,000. Sedor also said he would like to equalize the salaries of the two deputy commissioners, Tom Prystal and Deborah Calarco, so they have equal salaries, and then raise them both about $1,500 to $35,000.
Increased requirements from the federal Help America Vote Act and the need to eventually train the public to use new voting machines, require commissioners to allot extra work duties that the four employees were never responsible for before.
“We are putting a lot of extra duties on our employees,” Sedor said. “They are making far below what others are making.”
Commissioners found that these four make a significantly lower salary than the same positions in other counties.
Legislature Chairman George Fearon noted that although some counties pay these BOE positions less than Cayuga County, a majority of counties pay more.
“Our employees are sorely lacking income,” Sedor said.
Committee members also discussed the issue of only one part-time clerk receiving insurance benefits. But Dudley explained nothing could alter this situation since the county policy changed and stopped awarding insurance to part-timers. The current policy does not require part-time employees to receive health benefits, Dudley said.
“We can't do anything with insurance but we do need to equalize pay,” Dudley said.
County Manager Wayne Allen explained that this situation marks the beginning of a tier system for county employees.
“Now every agency has part-time workers with and without benefits. It's going to be a long transition. We have to educate employees about the changes,” Allen said. “But you can't pay people differently for the same job.”
In other news:
- BOE employees requested a final $4,821 from the county, completing the final requests for expenditures due to asbestos contamination in the BOE building on Court Street.
Heary said employees plan on moving back to their original BOE office by December.
Final expenditures included replacement of items including a refrigerator, microwave, blinds and personal items.
- The GOC approved the adoption of a new policy on travel and leave of absence presented by Allen. Travel costs more than $1,000 must be approved by the county manager and an oversight committee. Employees must also give proper notice to the county manager ahead of time for vacation days or as soon as possible for personnel leave and sick days.
Allen said he is working to create a set employee manual because of a lot of polices are not written down.
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
There are 2 comment(s)
Not Being a Wise Guy wrote on Nov 15, 2006 6:32 PM:
Jerry Morgan wrote on Nov 15, 2006 6:09 PM: