Appropriation ordinances transferring funds from the budgets of Jefferson County District Court, the Coroner’s Office and the Assessor’s Office to pay performance bonuses to employees will be discussed when committees of the Quorum Court meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Quorum Courtroom.
The county’s legislative body will also consider an ordinance amending a 1995 ordinance that established a uniform attendance and leave policy to ensure the ordinance complies with all applicable laws.
District Judge Kim Bridgforth wants to give each of the nine employees in her office a $4,000 performance bonus, which Bridgforth said in a letter to County Judge Dutch King and members of the Quorum Court will be in line with the salaries Pine Bluff District Court employees receive.
According to the letter, Pine Bluff District Court employees’ annual salaries are $4,000 more than the salaries paid to her employees, and she said this has been the case for several years.
Bridgforth is proposing to transfer money that is already in the district court budget and designated for things like general supplies, small equipment, computer services, computer software supplies and training and education, into salaries.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
No additional money will be needed, she said in the letter.
In the case of the coroner’s office, Coroner Chad Kelley said in a letter to King and other members of the Quorum Court that he wants to transfer $7,329 from other miscellaneous accounts to cover payroll through the end of the year, which will result in an excess of money available.
“The Quorum Court has stated many times that it will approve requests from elected officials to structure their budget and transfer appropriations to better compensate their employees, including performance bonuses, as long as it is of no additional cost to the county,” Kelley said in the letter. The Quorum Court has already approved those requests from other elected officials at various times this year.”
He is seeking an $800 bonus for the Administrative Assistant/Chief Deputy Coroner and a $400 bonus for each of the four deputy coroners.
“This action will greatly improve the morale of my employees,” Kelley said in the letter. “They are underpaid for the extremely vital service they provide for our community.”
County Assessor Yvonne Humphrey is asking that money appropriated for three positions that are not at the maximum salary be used to pay the bonuses, which she is requesting be paid in a separate check Dec. 15. That money totals $8,220, and Humphrey is asking for bonuses ranging from $500 to $50 be given to the employees. Including fringe benefits, that would total $7,329.
Regarding the uniform attendance policy that was first adopted in 1995, the proposed ordinance says that each elected county official has a need for a separate personnel policy but that each policy should “clearly state the intent of the elected official to abide by all county ordinances and state and federal laws affecting County Elected Official/employee relationships.”
The proposed amendment to the ordinance also establishes a uniform and attendance policy for county employees.