SALISBURY – Why premium pay is being considered for some county employees and not for others was a question on the minds of Wicomico officials last week as they met to discuss an incentive program using federal funds.
In a work session last week, the Wicomico County Council met with Acting County Executive John Psota and Finance Director Pam Oland to discuss a pay incentive for certified correctional officers, 911 specialists and communication specialists within the sheriff’s office.
As the county awaits the results of a comprehensive salary study, Psota told county leaders last week more was needed to attract and retain employees in those positions. To that end, officials have recommended the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which allow for premium pay for eligible workers who worked onsite throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The use in this manner qualifies,” he told the council last week.
Officials say a first payment of $1,500 will be made to employees hired on or before June 30, 2021, followed by a second payment of $1,500 to employees hired on or before Dec. 31, 2021. The total cost of the program would be $520,000.
During discussions last week, however, Councilman Joe Holloway said he had never seen an issue generate so many phone calls from other county employees. While he said correctional officers, 911 specialists and communication specialists deserved the incentive, he argued for a larger program that included other county employees.
“I’m not saying these people don’t deserve it,” he said. “But I’m saying our county roads employees came to work, and they were in contact with other employees. Our general services employees were in this building handling trash and handling stuff other people have handled. There’s a myriad of dangers across anything that anybody was doing.”
Officials, however, noted they had sought guidance from the federal government as to how ARPA funds could be used. Psota said there was no guidance that a wider application of the incentive program would be permitted.
“The issue is we are addressing what we can address with the American Rescue Plan money the way the guidance tells us we can do it,” he said.
Oland agreed. She noted that this was the first step in the program, and that other employees could be added as guidance becomes clearer.
“I feel as we continue to get guidance, there could be other areas,” she said. “But I don’t want to put this county at risk of having to return these funds for an ineligible use.”
When asked if salary savings from unfilled positions could be used to expand the program, Oland said those funds were already being used to pay overtime. With pay rates below market value, and the demands placed on correctional officers and 911 and communication specialists, Oland noted there were several vacancies, including 27 open positions in the department of corrections.
“That is adding to the woes,” she said, “because people feel like they can’t work a normal week.”
After further discussion, the council agreed to introduce the resolution amending the county budget at a future legislative session.
The county council last week also agreed to move forward with resolutions allowing a one-time $1,500 signing bonus for three lateral hires at the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, as well as a host of budget amendments for the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Wicomico County State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes said she was requesting a $16,000 reallocation within her department’s budget to fund five salary increases, as well as $34,650 in funding for a new victim/witness coordinator position.
“It is a cost-effective way to increase the number of cases prosecutors can handle if they don’t have to be that front-line contact with witnesses,” she said.
Dykes told council members last week that prosecutors’ caseloads have doubled in the past year, and that some were handling as many as nine jury trials each week. She said something needed to be done to maintain employees.
“For the past four years, since I’ve been in office, we have done more with less, and I’m incredibly proud of the staff we have. But I can only expect so much of them …,” she said. “We are in a tipping point and we need your help. The quality of our staff matters.”
