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Commissioner Jacobs asked about the elimination of the lowest salary grade hand out. <br />Elaine Holmes said that the current lowest salary grade is grade 7, and this would affect 28 <br />employees. The new County minimum salary would become $23,748. The housing wage for <br />rental of an efficiency apartment is $22,960, which is higher than the minimum for salary grade <br />7 - $22,604. She noted that the 2.5% COLA, when applied to the minimum salary grade 7 <br />would also take the minimum above the housing wage. The cast to eliminate salary grade 7 <br />would be about $51,000. There is a Housing Wage Reserve of $45,000 in this year's budget <br />that could be carried forward and used next year. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that this was done a couple of years ago, and they are not <br />winning this game. He thinks that this does nothing for the lowest grade employees. He finds <br />this troublesome because he does not think these people are handled with a COLA because it <br />is a temporary band-aid. He would like to da something far these 28 employees that are always <br />at the bottom of the ladder. <br />Jahn Link said that you move lower ends up faster with the in-range. Elaine Holmes said <br />that this was mentioned in the memo that went out with the agenda package about differentiated <br />pay. This would provide a faster rate of progression at the lower end of each salary range and a <br />slower rate of progression beyond the midpoint of the salary range. <br />Commissioner Foushee would like to see a couple of scenarios as to how this would work, <br />with the costs that would show the differentiated increases far the lowest paid employees. <br />d. Major budget, policy, operational issues including but not limited to: <br />o County Department Focus ("review by exception") <br />This timeframe assumes that BOCC will discuss departmental budgets only to the extent that <br />the Board has questions about specific departments. !t does not allow sufficient time to address <br />ail departmental budgets. <br />Section 3: <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that he asked the Clerk to give a breakdown of the $60,000 <br />in membership dues. He also asked about the Commissioners' contingency and asked for <br />information on what has been spent out of it in the past five years. He does not think $50,000 <br />should be budgeted for this each year. This year, only $18,000 was spent. Commissioner <br />Jacobs suggested using fund balance money if needed. <br />Commissioner Gordan said that they generally try and set the budget with reserves for <br />emergencies and not use the fund balance. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked about Animal Services and if they underestimated health <br />care casts for animals. John Link said yes. Commissioner Halkiotis asked if it would be <br />cheaper for the County to hire its own veterinarian. John Link said that it would be best to wait <br />until the new animal shelter is built. <br />Commissioner Jacobs made reference to section 3-31 and asked about Cable Casting <br />Committee Meetings and John Link said that it was Cable Casting Commissioner Meetings. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked about the Fairview Community Policing station and why <br />this is not under capital. Donna Dean said that this could be capital, but it started out in the <br />operating side. <br />