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b. Lowest Salaried Employee Pay <br />The Board considered possible steps to improve pay far the County's lowest salaried <br />permanent employees. <br />Personnel Director Elaine Holmes said that in the June budget work sessions the County <br />Commissioners set aside a reserve fund of $62,000 from this year's budget. The agenda abstract <br />outlines two possible steps. The first step would be to eliminate the County's lowest salary grade (grade <br />57} and move those employees to the next higher salary grade (grade 58} and grant a one step (about <br />five percent) salary increase with the move effective July 1, 2000. The second step, which would be in <br />addition to step one, would be to set $20,798 as the minimum County salary for a permanent employee <br />and increase the salary of any employee whose salary is below $20,798 after the application of Step 1 <br />above to $20,798. The first step would affect about 46 positions and the second step would affect 29 <br />positions. <br />Commissioner Gordon suggested eliminating step one and step two salary grades to keep the <br />5°~ relationship of the steps intact. Elaine Holmes said that the implementation of these steps would <br />eliminate steps 1-3a at grade 58 and steps 1-2a at grade 59. <br />Commissioner Gordan suggested adding to the language in Step 2, "Implementation of the <br />second step would involve eliminating steps 1-3a at grade 58 and steps 1-2a at grade 59." <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Brown to move <br />the Manager's recommendation as stated below plus the additional language: <br />Step 1 -Eliminate the County's lowest salary grade (grade 57}. Move current employees and <br />positions at that salary grade to the next higher grade (grade 58) and grant a one step (about <br />five percent) salary increase with the move. <br />Step 2 -Establish $20,798 as the minimum County salary for a permanent employee and <br />increase the salary of any current employee whose salary is still below that salary after the <br />application of Step 1 above to that salary. Implementation of this step would involve <br />eliminating steps 1-3a at grade 58 and steps 1-2a at grade 59. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />Geoffrey Gledhill left at this point and Harmony Whalen served as the County Attorney. <br />c. Reconsideration of Pocket Park at Skills Development Center <br />The Board reconsidered the construction of a pocket park at 503 West Franklin Street. New <br />funding from the Town of Chapel Hill to build the right-of-way portion of the property has become <br />available. <br />Jahn Link said that last June the County Commissioners did not approve the packet park as <br />presented that evening. One of the reasons was the cost of preparing the town's right of way as part of <br />the project. Since that time, the Town of Chapel Hill has passed a resolution that appropriates up to <br />$60,000 of streetscape funding to address the right-of-way issue. <br />Pam Jones said that the County contribution to the pocket park, including the design, would <br />be $58,000. There was $40,000 left from the Skills Development Center project and $18,000 will come <br />from the County capital surplus funds. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to approve <br />the Manager's recommendation to: <br />• Approve the construction of the packet park; and <br />• Authorize County staff to make modifications in the right of way work as may be required by the <br />Town in order to secure funding for such purpose; and <br />• Authorize the Manager to contract with the design firm of Paton-Zachino in an amount not to <br />exceed $5,000 plus reimbursable expenses. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />d. Sunrise Springs Subdivision -Preliminary Plan <br />