Commissioners hear District Court request

Wahkiakum County commissioners cruised through a relatively quiet meeting Tuesday including a request to modify personnel classifications in District Court.

Judge Bill Faubion asked the board to move two District Court staff members to new classes in recognition of their long service to the county. The two clerks have been in the office for 26 and 22.5 years, he said. The county's pay scale for longevity ends at 12 years, he said, so the two clerks haven't had a commiserate increase.

"We need to recognize the value of long-term employees and give them the incentive to do the work they want to do," Faubion said.

"I didn't bring it up last fall [when budgets were prepared--ed.] because of the revenue shortfall," Faubion added. "Since then you have received a sack full of money from the legislature and there's Criminal Justice money as well. And looking at the budget, there are miscellaneous amounts that could be moved. It would have insignificant impact to the county and raise the morale in my office."

Commissioners Dan Cothren and Mike Backman weren't ready to act.

Backman said he recognized that the long-term employees received no reward for their service after the 12-year period. However, he wondered what Commissioner Blair Brady, who was gone on an excused absence, would think.

"I'd like him to at least be part of the conversation," Backman said.

"My suggestion is that we wait till Blair is back," Cothren said. "I'm not willing to change."

Cothren and Backman said they'd look at the request when Brady returns.

The meeting adjourned at that point, and as people were leaving, Sheriff Mark Howie commented to Backman that the board should be careful about creating new pay classes that would be permanent and instead look at the pay schedule for other possibilities.