2.5% Pay Decrease Approved As Cost Cutting Measure For County

By Tammy Gray-Searles
   A 2.5-percent across the board pay decrease for nearly all employees was approved by the Navajo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday in lieu of mandatory furloughs.
   According to Finance Director James Menlove, the pay decrease is nearly equivalent to the pay that employees would have lost through furloughs. The measure will save the county approximately $323,000, leaving an estimated gap of $400,000 in the 2009-10 fiscal year budget.
   Employees affected by the pay decrease will receive an additional 52 hours of personal leave beginning July 1. The measure is intended to be a temporary one, and board members asked Finance Director James Menlove to report monthly on the county’s budget status and whether or not the pay can be restored.
   Those not included in the measure are employees who provide coverage for 24-hour operations, such as sheriff’s deputies, jail officers and juvenile detention officers. County Manager Jimmy Jayne explained that offering additional personal time in exchange for a pay decrease for those employees would actually cost the county money rather than save it since overtime would likely be required to cover the additional time off. Also excluded were both county medical examiners and chief deputies to elected officials.
   Prior to approving the pay decreases the board asked elected officials and department heads whether they preferred furloughs or pay decreases. Those in attendance unanimously preferred pay decreases, explaining that they could be reversed easier if economic conditions improve, and they would not cause problems with retirement and benefit eligibility.
   County Attorney Brad Carlyon told the board that while he now believes furloughs or pay cuts are necessary due to the county’s financial situation, he feels “misstatements” and “half-truths” have made the situation much more difficult.
   “It’s misstatements like this that gets the blood boiling,” he said regarding a comment by Menlove that he met with each department head and thoroughly reviewed all budget options. “I still agree it needs to be done, but I wish you’d make complete statements that are more truthful.”
   According to Carlyon, many county officials were not made aware that the option for reducing pay would be presented to the board until the last minute.
   “I appreciate you asking for input, but it would have been nicer to get this information quicker. Prior to today, the information was through the county rumor mill,” he said.
   Other county officials who supported the pay cut in lieu of furloughs included Assessor Cammy Darris, Superintendent of Schools Linda Morrow, Superior Court Judge Michaela Ruechel and Assistant County Manager Dusty Parsons. They all related to the board that they felt the pay reduction leveled the playing field for all employees, rather than creating differences between exempt and non-exempt employees, and that the pay cut could be more easily reversed later in the year if possible.
   Menlove noted that in addition to the savings from the pay decrease, the county still needs to find a way to close the remaining budget gap. He noted that he would be reviewing the finances constantly as the fiscal year progresses and will report regularly to the board and department heads.