County employee starting pay concerning to commissioner

Public perception of a proposed increase to elected official’s salaries, starting pay for county employees and a need for a more diverse Economic Development Corporation were among the concerns voiced by a Quay County Commissioner.

District 1 Commissioner, Sue Dowell, voiced her concerns following a discussion about the 2018-2019 preliminary budget approval during the commission’s May 25 meeting.

“When I started on the commission six years ago, I was concerned about how low the starting pay was for county employees,” Dowell said. “It was hard to bring people to come work for Quay County. It was almost embarrassing to see what the county paid.”

Dowell said a real effort has been made to bring the pay level up, especially at the Quay County Detention Center.

In 2015 the starting pay for QCDC was increased by $3 per hour, along with a cost of living increase the following years, said QCDC Administrator TJ Rich.

Dowell said the county also has to deal with the cost of the unfunded state mandates. She said these mandates have the increased cost for housing the inmates as well as the need for additional personnel.

“Instead of another starting wage increase, Rich has requested to hire two new employees,” Dowell added. “The administrator had to give up an increase in starting pay to ensure there is enough staff to run the facility.”

Dowell said it is dangerous not to have the proper number of staff for the facility. She said Rich had to make a choice, increased starting pay or increased personnel for safety.

“After working so hard, I’m worried that if we begin to neglect increasing the starting pay in departments we may find ourselves back where we started,” Dowell said.

Dowell said a related concern is how the public may view a potential 15 percent increase to the salaries of elected officials while in the proposed budget there is only a 2 to 3 percent increase in the salary of county employees.

“I don’t think that is going to set well with the public,” Dowell said. “On paper were going to give our elected officials a 15 percent raise and the employees only 2 to 3 percent.”

Dowell said she isn’t against a raise for the elected officials, but is concerned how it looks when the commission rushes to approve the allowable 15 percent increase. The county’s economic situation needs to be looked at when considering this increase, Dowell added.

“Should it be 15 percent right now, or could there be an increase the salaries over a four year period,” Dowell said.

The statue allowing the increase, County Manager Richard Primrose said, does not allow the county to lower the percentage or spread it out over a multi-year period.

Primrose said even with the 15 percent increase, the county commissioners would only be making 85 percent of what is allowed by the state.

“Quay County has never paid the commissioners 100 percent of what is allowed,” Primrose said.

Primrose said if approved, the increased salary to elected officials would not go into effect for everyone right away. He said only four elected officials would get the raise following the outcome of the November General Election. Those elected officials are the county sheriff, assessor, probate judge and District 3 commissioner. Whoever is elected to those positions would receive the higher salaries when taking office Jan. 1.

“In two years, the other elected officials would receive the increase after they are sworn into office,” Primrose said. “The county would not see the total impact of the increase until 2020.”

Dowell said the commission need to look at ways to diversify the economic development in the county. She said each year the commission gives $50,000 to the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corp., that has done some good things for the region.

“A large portion of the public opinion feels like the EDC board is secretive,” Dowell said. “The board will explain that confidentiality is a must in their dealings. I know that may is true but when you take the need for confidentially and use it so broadly it becomes secretive.”

Dowell said the board that makes up EDC is missing important voices that need to be heard. She said when she looks at the board there is a need for young working mothers who have a real problem finding affordable child ‘day’ care.

“I have brought up the need for affordable child care several times in commission and other meetings,” Dowell said. “I think the lack of diversity we miss important things that need to be addressed.”

Dowell said many people in the community think they don’t have a say or that the EDC doesn’t give respect to ideas that may come out of the community. She said there may be good ideas out there in the public that don’t get attention.

“Ideally I’d like to see better communication between that body that takes our $50,000 and the citizens and told what is going on in economic development,” Dowell said. “I would like to see that body solicit ideas from the public instead of making them feel excluded.”

Dowell said another voice missing from the EDC is the Hispanic population, that makes up a large segment of the regions population and economic wealth

“We can’t just have a group of 9 or 10 people that are very much in common that don’t represent the diversity of our community running the EDC,” Dowell said.

“It is not our intention to come across as secretive,” said Patrick Vanderpool, executive director for GTEDC.

Vanderpool said there have been no attempts by the EDC Board or EDC Corp., to be secretive about potential projects. He said there is a need for a level of confidentiality in the efforts to attract a business, economic opportunity to the area.

“EDCs across the state, country are all working to attract economic opportunities to their region,” Vanderpool said. “Corporations expect a level of confidentiality in negotiations. It could hinder or even negate a possible opportunity if sensitive information became public before an actual deal was done.”

Vanderpool said the public may have the perception that the EDC doesn't want their involvement, which is not the case at all.

“Truth is, we need the public’s involvement," Vanderpool said. "We want the public to come to the meetings and share their ideas, concerns and visions.”

Vanderpool said the EDC meetings are open to the public, anyone can attend and residents can become a member by paying a yearly due. He said the EDC board is comprised of four members of the private sector, four bankers and two representatives from both the city and county.

“There are elections held every two years for the private sector board members,” Vanderpool said. “A highly involved member has a good chance of serving on the board.”

Primrose said the EDC meetings are open to the public, residents are encouraged to attend.

Other items before the commission

• Approval of the Quay County DWI Grant Agreement for $10,000.

• Warren Frost gave an update on the Horse Racing License application for Quay County.

• The commission tabled approval of the county personnel policy until recently approved changes could be made to the document.