6/7/1978 - Laserfiche WebLink

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COMMISSIONER SIEBERT STATEDTHAT HE HAS GIVEN THIS MATTER SOME THOUGHT AND WITH THE WAY THE COST OF LIVING HAS GONE THIS YEAR, HE WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE SIMPLY RECOMMEND AN ACROSS THE BOARD COST -OF -LIVING INCREASE, WITH NO MERIT INCREASES AND ALSO NO STEP INCREASES UNLESS THEY ARE FULLY DOCUMENTED. HE POINTED OUT THAT IF WE PROVIDE MERIT INCREASES, THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T GET THEM WON'T COME ANYWHERE NEAR KEEPING UP WITH THE RISE IN THE COST OF LIVING. COMMISSIONER LOY NOTED THAT THE BOARD HAS ALWAYS TRIED TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AS EVIDENCED BY,THE ADDITION TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE APPROVED THIS MORNING, WHICH SHE FELT THESE DAYS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AND MUST BE CONSIDERED. SHE AGREED WITH COMMISSIONER SIEBERT'S SUGGESTED APPROACH, WHICH SHE FELT WOULD HELP EVERYBODY AND PROPOSED A 6% COST -OF -LIVING INCREASE FOR CONSIDERATION. PERSONNEL DIRECTOR DONLON INFORMED THE BOARD THAT HE HAS MADE A COMPARISON STUDY OF BUSINESSES WE ARE IN COMPETITION WITH FOR OUR WORKERS. HE THEN DISCUSSED .IN DETAIL HOURLY RATES FOR STARTING PAY PAID BY THE CITY OF VERO BEACH, LOCAL CONSTRUCTION, AND PIPER AIRCRAFT, AND CONCLUDED THAT IF THE COUNTY INSTITUTED A 10% INCREASE AS OF TODAY, IT WOULD ONLY BRING US EVEN WITH THE CITY RIGHT NOW. HE NOTED THAT WE ARE BEHIND EVERYONE ELSE AND FALLING FURTHER BEHIND EVERY YEAR. COMMISSIONER SCHMUCKER FELT PART OF THE PROBLEM IN.THE COUNTRY NOW IS THAT THE BOTTOM PAY GRADE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO LURE PEOPLE OFF UNEMPLOYMENT AND FOOD STAMPS. COMMISSIONER SIEBERT AGREED THAT THE PAY GRADES SHOULD BE ANALYZED EVERY YEAR OR SO, BUT DID NOT FEEL THEY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AT THIS TIME BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD A COST -OF -LIVING INCREASE AND A PAY GRADE INCREASE AT THE SAME TIME. COMMISSIONER LOY FELT THERE MAY COME A TIME WHEN WE WILL HAVE TO DROP THE FIRST STEP IN STARTING SALARIES AND START AT THE SECOND PAY GRADE. JUN 71978 45 POOK 35 PAGE 83