The Stoddard County Salary Commission met on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners office.
Present were Paula Yancey, Circuit Court Clerk, Greg Mathis, Presiding Commissioner, C.D.Stewart, Commissioner Dist. 1, Carol Jarrell, Commissioner Dist. 2, Jacob Clary, Assessor, Josh Speakman, Collector/Treasurer, Cecil Weeks, Clerk, Brett Stidham, Coroner, Sawyer Smith, Prosecuting Attorney, Lorrie Duckworth, Public Administrator, Candy Collier, Recorder, Carl Hefner, Sheriff, Tonya Causy, Juvenile Office Chief Juvenile Officer, and Dee Loflin, ShowMe Times owner.
Ms. Paula Yancey opened the Salary Commission meeting at 9:03 a.m.
First order of business is to elect a chairman of the members of the salary commission. Carl Hefner nominated Greg Mathis, seconded by Sawyer Smith. All voted yes and Greg Mathis was elected as the chairman.
Mrs.Yancey turned the meeting over to Greg Mathis
"This meeting is to determine salary for the elected officials and employees for the 2024 fiscal year, specifically related to the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)," stated Mathis.
Mr. Cecil Weeks gave review of the budge. The budget revenue is up 1%, expenses are down 15% through September based on the General Revenue Fund. The General Revenue Fund began with 7 million dollars and ending balance is 8 million dollars through September. "The County is in good financial shape," stated Weeks. "Everyone has been under their budget and revenue is up."
Mr. Brett Stidham, County Coroner, who is considered a part-time employee, but on call 24/7 365 discussed the option of making the job full-time beginning in the 2025 election cycle.
"The Coroner's pay is is the lowest one by a lot and this is my first time to discuss so I am not sure what everyone's input would be," stated Stidham.
Mathis clarified with a question, "Would this take effect during this term or the 2025 elected term?" Stidham suggested in 2025.
Mathis reminded the group that they do not have to make any decisions today, but by November 30th everyone must be in agreement and set in place by December 15th per state statute.
"I assume it is a part-time position at this time and if you all want to make this position into a full-time position," stated Stidham. "I am doing more as more duties are assigned. New coroner standards are going to increase with new education requirements." The current salary is $28,000. In 2020 there were 90 cases, 2021 there were 106 cases, 2022 there were 107, and as of this year there are 86 cases so far."
Josh Speakman, Stoddard County Collector/Treasurer stated that the Coroner could have a $14,000 off his base salary which is a $2,000 increase now and then at the next term in 2025 the full increase could go into effect according to the state statute .
Refer to state statute - 50.327. Base salary schedules for county officials — salary commission responsible for computation of county official salaries, except for charter counties — salary increases, when.
Butler County has a full-time coroner, Phelps and Lincoln County each moved their coroner to full-time. Scott County is similar to Stoddard County in pay.
Motion to make the coroner's office a full-time position starting with the next term made by Josh Speakman, seconded by Carl Hefner. All votes yes and the motion passed. Brett Stidham abstained from voting.
Motion that we give the coroner's office a $2,000 bump persuient to Senate Bill 1158 in 2024 plus the COLA (which will be addressed later in the meeting made by Josh Speakman, seconded by Commissioner Carol Jarrell. Brett Stidham abstained from voting.
The Prosecuting Attorney and the Sheriff are elected officials however their salary is set by the state of Missouri.
"I want to go to bat for my assistant prosecuting attorney. Her salary is extremely low,, half of what mine is and she is an attorney," commented Sawyer Smith, Prosecuting Attorney. "I am asking for a salary increase separate from the COLA. Butler, Cape, New Madrid, Pemiscot, and Scott county pay more than what Stoddard County pays here. Dunklin has an assistant in the 70,000 range and she is more qualified, has more experience and should be deserving of the increase. She makes $63,500."
Mathis stated that this meeting is not for increasing pay in that matter. "That is a budgetary matter and will be discussed at budget meetings later in the year."
Though the salary commission only looks at all the employees and elected officials as a whole, it is noted that they don't individually increase pay, but the Commission can and will look at that request during the budget meetings. The salary commission group did say all good things about the assistant prosecuting attorney and her ability to do her job well.
Base pay was also discussed. The base pay for new hires is $16.05 per hour for hourly employees plus the County pays for their insurance 100%. One comment was to bring the base pay up to $20 or maybe $18 per hour.
Weeks stated that the turnover rate for 2023 was 38 employees who left he county and 45 new hires since the first of the year. There was also discuss on how to increase the pay in each elected officials department, but no definite decision was made during this meeting.
Benefit package for retirement and SERF were also discussed.
The Chief Juvenile Officer Tonya Causey stated that her employees are on call 24/7 365, but do not really get any extra compensation for going out in the middle of the night or on a holiday. They comp their hours. There is no overtime per the handbook and these people should be paid more and compensated more. When asked if they could set up some type of per diem/shift differential or on call pay by Dee Loflin, she stated they didn't have it, but was open to anything. Sawyer Smith asked Greg Mathis why Dee Loflin was aloud to speak that she was not on the Salary Commission and that she should not be a loud to speak. Mathis reminded Smith that this meeting was open to the public and she could speak.
Loflin reminded Smith that she had over 20 years experience in Human Resources and Sawyer stated he didn't care, he had work to do.
As a reminder to the public the Salary Commission is open to the public. The Chief Juvenile Officer is not on the Salary Commission. She was there to ask about her employees. Please refer to the State Statute 50.333. Salary commission, duties of clerk or court administrator, meetings, notice of, members, duties, report, form, failure to meet, effect of — mileage allowance — maximum compensation allowable, defined (noncharter counties).
Mathis stated we need to move on to the Cost of Living Adjustment Increase (COLA)
Cecil Weeks suggested 6%, Candy Collier suggested 8% and Josh Speakman suggested a 4.5% increase. Mathis suggested 3% earlier in the year when he was in his first few months doing the budget as a newly elected commissioner. Speakman discussed the room for growth with an 8 million dollar general revenue sitting in the bank and an excess of over 1 million dollars in surplus per year over the past 5 years. COLS would cost the county about 3% and that would be about $114,000 and at 8% would be about $304,000 per Speakman.
The next Salary Commission Meeting will be held on Friday, November 3, 2023 at 9 a.m. and is open to the public.
Presiding Commissioner Mathis also went over a few things that needed to be said.
Stoddard County offices are open from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday there is no closing for lunch.
Regarding new hires, they must have their new hire paperwork before they start, no exceptions.
Termination of employment notification must be sent to the clerk's office immediately and vacation days are not last days worked for this information.
If you terminate someone by firing then the clerk's office needs information for the unemployment office the day of termination.
Any and all vacation to be paid out will be performed on the last payroll sheet.
Overtime is over 40 hours per week not after an 8 hour shift. Vacation and holidays do not count towards overtime pay.
Timesheets must be turned in by noon on the 21st of each month.
Also you might tell your employees that if they use sick time, don't be on social media having fun that day!
There was no motion to adjourn; however the meeting ended around 11:15 a.m.
