Salary for nurse is increased

The Jay County Council approved increased starting pay for an immunization nurse after the county's health officer said he won't be able to hire anyone at the current starting rate.

Jay County health officer Dr. Stephen Myron has been searching for a replacement public health nurse after Linda Smith left the position earlier this month. But he explained to council members Thursday night that potential employees have been turned off by the low starting pay.

"I won't have any (registered nurses) come in at that rate," he said of the starting pay grade for a new immunization nurse, which starts at $14.10 per hour. "The candidates I interviewed said they would not entertain the position for $14."

Myron asked the council if they could set the starting pay grade closer to $20, which could help in the search.

"I want to get a really good candidate who's interested in public health nursing," he said later. "And I can't do it at those beginning levels."

The council, in turn, was understanding that to attract a specialized employee like that, it might cost a bit more.

"When you've got your license on the line, that's a biggie," said councilman Mike Leonhard.

Councilman Fred Bailey commented that his granddaughter found a similar job right out of college starting at about $23 per hour.

After examining the pay chart, the council suggested a starting pay of $18.14 per hour and asked if Myron would be able to find a candidate at that level.

"I might," he said. "If I had the ability to go back and say, 'This is what we could do.'"

"We can give that a try," Bailey said.

"I don't think in this instance we have much of an alternative," said councilman Dan Orr.

The council agreed to set the starting pay at $18.14 and that raises will begin from that point. Typically, when a higher starting pay grade is approved, employee wages are frozen until they work up to that level before any raises are awarded.

"I say start it and let it go up," Leonhard said and Bailey agreed.

In other news Thursday, the council:

•Approved an appropriation of $2,400 for the pre-trial diversion fund for witness fees.

•Approved appropriations of $15,224.92 and transfers of $2,471.59 and $1,838.10 for the sheriff's department to pay for compensation time to employees.

•Approved an appropriation for $13,000 to the commissioners' budget for an upgrade to the fundware server in the courthouse.

•Approved an appropriation of $20,000 to the jail budget for medical and prisoner housing. Jay County Sheriff Ray Newton said most of that money is going toward housing prisoners out of county due to overcrowding at the jail.

•Tabled an appropriation of $6,000 in the deferral fund, since Jay County prosecutor Bob Clamme did not clear the purchase with the Jay County Commissioners. Clamme said he will approach the commissioners to get approval and return next month.

•Approved two appropriations in the infrastructure fund, $20,000 for a new solar heating system at the highway department garage, and $27,000 for stonework repairs around the courthouse.

•Approved a transfer of $52.59 for the Purdue Cooperative Extension office to cover a 2008 claim that was paid out of the 2009 budget.

•Approved transfers of $500 and $118 for the veteran affairs office to for purchase of a new computer.

•Approved a transfer of $36,040 in the Jay Emergency Medical Services budget to pay for salary for reserves.

•Approved a transfer of $25,000 in the commissioners' budget for computer maintenance.

•Approved a transfer of $1,200 in the auditor's budget to pay for part time help.

•Created a line item for computer maintenance in the Jay Superior Court budget.

•Decided that any requests for position changes must be approved by the county council before being sent to the county's personnel consultant, after a department sent in a request without informing the commissioners or council.

•Were given an update on the progress of the Jay County Jail expansion by commissioner Milo Miller Jr. Miller informed the council that the commissioners approved about $40,000 to make façade improvements to the Main Street side of the jail.

Miller also informed the council that health insurance rates will increase by about 11 percent and asked the council to consider paying an additional portion of that cost since county employees did not receive a salary increase for 2010.

Miller also discussed the county's involved in a regional economic planning district with Delaware, Grant and Blackford counties. The commissioners and council were concerned that one of the district boards will not have equal representation from each county on one of its boards. Miller said he is meeting with Roy Budd of Energize-ECI, a economic development collaborative involved with district, next week and would discuss the issue.[[In-content Ad]]