SALISBURY – Citing the need for amendments, county officials this week agreed to postpone the adoption of a new classification and pay plan for Wicomico employees.
On Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council held a public hearing on the adoption of a new county classification and pay plan, which will provide certain changes to pay grades and titles for county employees. But despite overall support for the plan, county officials agreed to postpone its adoption until certain amendments could be added to the legislative bill.
“I think it’s important that the actual pay ranges be presented in this bill …,” said Andrew Mitchell, county attorney. “With the actual pay ranges, it doesn’t have much meaning at all.”
In an effort to attract and retain a strong workforce, the county employed Bolton USA last year to complete a salary study of Wicomico’s positions. And in February, company representatives came before the council to present its findings, unveiling a current pay structure in which 77% of employee salaries fell below the desired market range.
The study not only included recommendations, but a plan for implementing and funding those recommendations in the coming months.
“For the current positions that are filled, we’re almost $1.8 million short on salaries for all positions,” Finance Director Pam Oland said at the time. “If we add in the concept of vacant positions at corrections and throughout the county, that comes up to almost $2.25 million.”
Following recommendations from Bolton, the council in April voted to introduce the new classification and pay plan. And during a public hearing this week, residents came before the legislative body in support of the new plan.
“Many of these employees are doing work that’s putting them on a lower pay scale,” said resident Monica Brooks. “I think it’s great, and it will put these employees on a pay scale they deserve.”
Mitchell told county leaders this week both he and the county attorney had reviewed the new classification and pay plan and had recommended two amendments. In addition to adding pay ranges to the legislative bill, Mitchell recommended the council add language that the plan could be amended by either a new budget bill or a resolution.
“That way if there’s a change in title or a pay raise … you don’t have to go back, pass a bill and wait 60 days for its adoption,” he said.
When asked if those amendments could be made that day, Mitchell said he recommended the legislative bill be amended and voted on at the next council meeting.
“There’s going to be a need to set those ranges, and then the budget has to fall within those ranges …,” he explained. “Allow the finance director to show in the budget that it does sync up and vote on it in the next meeting.”
Oland, however, disagreed. She said passing the legislative bill would essentially start the 60-day window for adoption, allowing the new classification and pay plan to take effect at the start of the next fiscal year.
“My recommendation is to pass it, to start that 60-day window, and then amend it at the June 7 meeting via resolution,” she said.
Council Administrator Laura Hurley, however, asserted the council couldn’t amend a bill that hadn’t yet been adopted.
“The bill wouldn’t be in effect at that date,” she said.
Oland said postponing the vote could cause problems for county departments. She noted, for example, that the state’s attorney’s office was looking to create an evidence technician position. But if the council were to adopt the plan at its next meeting, the legislative bill wouldn’t go into effect until August.
“That means an evidence tech could not be hired until August,” she said. “Any changes we are making to this thing can’t take place until our 60 days have run out.”
Ultimately, the county council agreed to wait until its June 7 meeting to adopt a new classification and pay plan, with the proposed amendments.
