by Olivia P. Tucker
Times Reporter
A proposal for changes for Scott County Health Department employees was denied by the Scott County Council when they met Jan. 31 during a special council meeting.
Scott County Health Department Administrator Michelle Matern appeared before the council to seek a pay raise for Lisa Howard.
Howard left the auditor’s office as the 2nd Deputy to work as the Vital Records Registrar for the Scott County Health Department this past January.
“We took Lisa Howard from the auditor’s office to our department,” said Matern, “They both are administrative positions, but she was making 78¢ higher rate (per hour) at the auditor’s office.”
Howard previously made $18.38 and her current pay at the health department is $17.60 per hour.
Since Howard remains a county employee and was transferring between county departments, Matern sought to keep her pay the same because the jobs were similar.
She also sought a pay increase for April Turley that matched Howard’s previous pay. Turley took over as the administrative assistant of Vital Records.
Matern said she wasn’t asking for additional funding from the council and felt she could use the existing approved budget to give Howard and Turley raises.
Council member J.R. Ward asked Matren, “Did you and Lisa talk about the rate of pay?”
Matern responded that Howard was fine with the decrease. However, the health department administrator felt that because the jobs were similar and it was a transfer from one county position to another that the pay should be compatible.
Council President Lyndi Hughbanks asked, “Do you have the money when you say that you think you can ‘swing it’?”
Matern said her department had $200,000 at the start of the current year and that all she would have to do is move the funds, which is what she preferred doing instead of asking the council for additional funds.
“[Howard] voluntarily took the demotion,” said Councilman Eric Gillespie. “If everyone took a demotion and come in and say ‘I want to make what I made before I took my demotion’, that would be kinda sketchy.”
Gillespie stated that county employees have already received raises and a bonus recently.
“I feel like it’s a slippery slope changing salaries outside of budget time,” said Ward. “When we are coming in with a preset budget that we really didn’t have eyes on. And now we are going to change someone’s rate of pay.”
The Council voted unanimously to deny the requested raises.