Deputy pay has been incorrect

Because of an error in the budget, deputies have been getting paid less than intended.

Officials plan to fix the problem in coming weeks.

Jay County Council discussed the issue and how to remedy it — the process includes amending the current salary ordinance, giving back pay to deputies and making an additional appropriation — during a meeting Wednesday.

Council president Jeanne Houchins explained the situation was discussed during a Jay County Personnel Committee meeting Jan. 26.

The personnel committee recommended in August to give pay increases for different job classifications at Jay County Sheriff’s Office, which included bumping deputies to $26.15 an hour. Council debated raise amounts over the course of several months, but it ultimately decided to give 6% raises across-the-board, with larger raises given to some departments, mainly the sheriff’s office, highway department and JEMS. Discussed pay increases for sheriff’s office employees varied between 12% and 27% raises depending on their position. That included deputies at $26.15.

However, deputies’ pay currently listed in the budget forms approved in October comes out to $24.54 an hour.

The error was a “total oversight,” said Houchins.

“I mean it was just an honest mistake on everybody’s part,” she explained. “Emily (Franks) did a great job on the budget. She had a lot of different numbers (thrown) at her many, many times.”

Houchins pointed out chief deputy Ben Schwartz noticed the error right before the second reading of the budget and told then-council member Ray Newton, who shared the message with Houchins.

“At that point, we couldn’t do anything,” she said. “Ten minutes later we (had) the reading,” she said.

The personnel committee recommended giving deputies back pay retroactive to Jan. 1 and bumping them to $26.15 an hour starting in March.

In order to do so, council will need to update its current salary ordinance and make an additional appropriation.

Houchins also highlighted a few other personnel committee decisions:

•Adding a part-time deputy position to the sheriff’s office. (Additional money will not be needed for the job, with Houchins noting the cost would come out of compensation allocated typically for overtime pay.)

•Giving Jay County Surveyor’s Office the OK to hire a backhoe operator, a position recently left vacant that funding was allocated for in the budget

•Changing the name of the maintenance position at Jay County Sheriff’s Office to custodian

In other business, council members Harold Towell, Cindy Bracy, Dave Haines, Faron Parr, Jeanne Houchins and Randy May, absent Matt Minnich:

•Heard from Allison Keen of Jay County Purdue Extension Office, who reminded council about her organization’s annual meeting set for noon Wednesday. She noted agriculture and natural resource educator Justin Curley has transferred to the Delaware County branch. Keen and Amanda Bullion, the health and human sciences educator, are currently sharing Curley’s former responsibilities.

•Appointed Jack Houck and Parr to Jay County Redevelopment Commission.

•Made the following additional appropriations: a total of $158,440 in grant dollars for Jay County Community Corrections, a $6,534 donation to Jay County Country Living for a new chair lift and a $261 charge for pauper counsel through Jay courts.

•Made two transfers in the Jay County Community Corrections accounts to the employer Public Employees’ Retirement Fund totaling $269.18.