June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Salaries set for majority of county employees
The new contract follows a uniform county pay scale, which includes a 2.5 percent increase from the 2014 scale and gives another 2.5 percent raise in 2016. It also follows uniform clothing allowance changes as approved in agreements signed last month with two other bargaining units.
Each employee also receives a step increase on the pay scale July 1 each year to recognize another year of service to the county. Steps are equivalent to about a 3 percent raise.
Once employees reach the top step of 10, they no longer receive a mid-year increase, but do become eligible instead to receive longevity pay. That Dec. 1 lump sum payment equals 1.75 percent of base monthly pay multiplied by full years of the employee's Cass County service.
Tuesday, the board also set a 2.5 percent raise for all elected officials in 2015.
This puts County Attorney Christopher Strandlie at $115,211 per year, Sheriff Tom Burch at $99,382 and County Recorder Katie Norby at $71,780 in 2015. All are on the top step of the 10-step pay scale for their position, so eligible for longevity pay in addition to their salary.
The 2.5 percent increase puts the county commissioners' annual salary at $24,246.99. Commissioners do not receive mid-year step increases or longevity pay, but do receive $75 per diem for each meeting they attend other than the first regular board meeting of each month, the board of audit, board of equalization or canvassing board meetings.
Commissioners receive per diem payments to attend meetings of a committee at which they are assigned to represent the board and for meetings where the board approves a specific commissioner to attend. If a commissioner attends a meeting on his/her own without board approval, no per diem is paid.
The board passed a resolution requesting that Judicial District 9 judges approve pay for court employees based on the uniform county pay scale, with the two-year 2.5 percent raises, and terms outlined in the county personnel policy manual.
Cass County has about 40 non-union employees out of their 265 full-time equivalent staff. Tuesday, the board set wages for those employees at the uniform wage scale as increased by 2.5 percent in 2015 and again in 2016. Terms for employment follow the county personnel policy manual.
Two Cass union contracts still await approval. Employees in health, human and veterans services bargaining unit of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are scheduled to vote on the proposed contract Feb. 10.
Employees in the sheriff's dispatch and records bargaining unit are scheduled to vote Feb. 9.
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