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Raises to Jail Employees Delayed by Budget Issues

Raises to Jail Employees Delayed by Budget Issues
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By Bill Hughes
Jan. 22, 2018 | PADUCAH, KY
By Bill Hughes Jan. 22, 2018 | 09:57 PM | PADUCAH, KY
Uncertainty about the financial situation of the McCracken County Jail led the McCracken County Fiscal Court to not take action on proposed promotions and pay raises for three jail employees.

At Monday's meeting at the McCracken County Courthouse, things were going smoothly until they came to the pay increases as separate items on the agenda. Each time, a motion was introduced by Commissioner Bill Bartleman to pass over that item until more information can be provided by Jailer Tonya Ray. 

On Friday, Ray was questioned about her plans to get employee salaries and overtime back on track, since they are more than $100,000 over-budget. She was not at Monday's meeting to explain details of the proposed raises.

After a second by Commissioner Scott Wathen, Barleman said he has nothing against employees Nathan Young, Dominic White and Patrick Meyer, but until the Fiscal Court has some specific information about the situation, he would prefer not to act. 

"I don't think we're saying they won't get paid the money but we just need to wait one more meeting until we get an explanation as to what's going on," Bartleman said. 

Wathen echoed that sentiment, saying he needs to know if the pay increases were already budgeted, or would make the financial situation worse. 

"We could just be adding to the problem, so I just don't feel comfortable. But, again, nothing against these people, but I'm not sure if this is an increase or not," Wathen said.

Leeper countered by saying, "They were promised these salaries back some months ago. They were not processed properly, which is not their fault. They have worked in good faith assuming they would be paid these salaries, and with that being said, I think we should...go ahead and honor that commitment."

Commissioner Jerry Beyer went even further by saying the employees have apparently performed well enough in stressful jobs to get promoted, so they should be compensated.

Beyer said, "This is not overtime pay, but this is pay that has been promised to employees. The incompetence of the Jailer should not be a factor in this matter. We should pay the employees." 

The vote on each motion ended in a 2-2 tie. Although the motions didn't pass, the items were effectively tabled until the next meeting, anyway.

On Friday, Ray told the Fiscal Court she is waiting for an analysis of her inmate-to-deputy ratio before getting back with them about her budget. 

Leeper said after Monday's meeting that he did not want to negatively affect the employees by holding back their pay raises, but he understood that commissioners wanted more clarity on the budget before proceeding. He hopes they can act on the matter next month, and feels that if the raises are approved the pay should be retroactive.
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