Posted 1/2/02
County approves cost of living increases
By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter
Houston county commissioners approved two, two percent Cost of Living Increase Adjustments (COLA) for the 2002 Non-Union and Elected Official Wage Grid at its Thursday, December 27 meeting.
Depending on the current wage, the COLA will increase salaries by two to three thousand dollars a year for some department heads, supervisors and elected officials.
Fifteen employees also received discretionary wage increases for their comparable worth rating, which is in addition to the COLA.
Negotiations continue with Xcel, La Crosse County
Commissioner Kevin Kelleher said there is still no resolution for a solid waste contract with La Crosse County and 23 other sub contractors for solid waste disposal.
Kelleher attended a meeting Friday, December 22 in Wisconsin, where it became apparent that other subcontractors were not satisfied with the details of La Crosse Countyís contract extension proposal to help pay for an upgrade to one of its incinerators.
Many counties had passed resolutions stating that they favored continuing their contract with La Crosse County, but that did not mean, said Kelleher, that counties would accept whatever was offered. ìThat resolution wasnít a blank check. That was indicating for direction. That was not, ëWeíre signing on for whatever you negotiate,î he said.
Board seeks clarification from ABC on grant
The board discussed a letter written to ABC (Ability Building Center) from Tom Ready of Ready Bus Line who expressed his concern for ABC applying for grant which Ready Bus has received for the last 15 years.
The grant is from the Minnesota DOT for transporting elderly and/or persons with disabilities in and around Houston County.
According to the letter, Ready Bus Line has transported this group of people for more than 15 years. Ready wrote, ìDuring these years of service, Networks (now ABC Works) has been very happy with our service.î
He further stated that because ABC is pursuing the grant with the Minnesota DOT, Ready Bus Line will soon lose a revenue base of $49,000. He added, ìNow we may lose the service to a MNDOT vehicle which will cost the taxpayers much more money to operate. I would hope the ABC group would continue to contract with our services and then they would not have to concern themselves with additional liability, seeking qualified drivers/substitutes and the high costs of maintaining a bus they are not familiar operating.î
Kelleher expressed surprise that Networks had contracted with Ready Bus Line. ìIt surprises me cause Networks had their own buses.î
Kelleher requested a clarification from ABC on exactly what they are doing with the grant.
Commissioner Larry Graf commented, ìThereís only one pot of money and thereís a dozen people wanting to get,î he said of grant money that is available.
County extends vacation hours to three on highway department
The county board will give Allen Henke, highway engineer, Tom Molling, maintenance foreman, and Dough Twite, engineer assistant until May 1 to get their vacation hours down to 192 hours. If they do not bring them down they will lose the excess hours. Henke has 63 hours, Molling has six hours and twite has 37 hours to use yet before the deadline.
Commissioner Kevin Kelleher noted that an extension was allowed last year and asked. ìAre we going to do this every year? I donít know how youíre going to get out of this viscous circle,î he said referring to new vacation time that will accrue in 2002.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran noted, ìWe had a lot of road projects. If the boys wouldnít have taken vacation, we wouldnít have gotten this done.î