By HOLLY GASKILL
While the Wells County Council has settled more firmly toward taking immediate action in highway department raises, specific action has again been delayed.
During the council’s meeting Tuesday, Steve Huggins moved to authorize the nearly 10 percent raise proposed by Highway Supervisor Shawn Bonar, excluding a system developed for longevity compensation.
This raise would match rates in Huntington County, meeting the lowest rate for foremen at $24.50 per hour. The highest classification, head mechanic, would receive $26.46 hourly.
However, several council members questioned whether a flat rate increase would be the most effective or fair, given the skills and qualifications needed for each position.
Because of these discussions, Huggins rescinded his motion. He then asked Bonar to return with proposed plans for both a flat rate increase and classified increases.
“I think we’re close … Now that you’ve heard a motion and you’ve heard some feedback from the council, go back and get this thing dialed into where you think it’s appropriate,” Huggins said.
Bonar had attempted to bring a similar model to the council during the 2023 budget planning sessions in August, but it was scrapped due to budget and time constraints.
The issue has become more recently pressing for several reasons — namely, the department is operating understaffed for snow plowing — and, of the drivers they have, three are in their first year.
Bonar stated this lack of experience led to several incidents during the Christmas weekend snowstorm — including one driver getting stuck in a ditch twice and another knocking down a utility pole.
The department has also had significant turnover in the last year and expects several more to retire shortly. Bonar believes it will be incredibly difficult to fill these positions with nearby competition.
The proposed raise can occur within the Highway Department’s budget — however, the county will have to amend its salary ordinance to allow for it.
Because of this, Huggins stated he was in support of allowing Bonar to make the decisions he saw necessary as supervisor.
“My recommendation is that we don’t hamstring (Bonar) as a supervisor and micromanage his operation … It’s in his budget, and he knows he’s got to budget for new trucks, so it’s a balance for him,” Huggins said.
Council member Brandon Harnish, on the other hand, questioned whether it was more important to offer these raises immediately or work toward purchasing new equipment.
In 2022, the Highway Department experienced a $760,000 budget surplus, which Bonar attributed to the department’s smart use of materials and overtime. The county approved replacing its 21-year-old chip spreader for $398,000 using these funds.
That said, multiple pieces of equipment are still considered not operational or will soon be in need of replacement.
In response to Harnish, County Engineer Nate Rumschlag noted that a 10 percent raise would increase personnel expenses by $67,000, which would be within the parameters to budget for new equipment. He noted that without more competitive wages, they may not have employees certified to use the equipment.
Rumschlag added that the department would like to work toward a long-term equipment replacement plan, especially since orders can take a year until fulfillment.
As a new council member, Harnish requested Rumschlag and Bonar bring a summary of the department’s equipment needs, current budget and specific percentage increases to add context to the situation.
Council member Todd Mahnensmith added that, as they look at these options, Rumschlag and Bonar should consider their recruitment and training of employees to increase retention. Rumchlag said they had discussed that but that it was difficult because the county is in charge of putting packages together.
For the time being, it appears a longevity structure is off the table until the next budget. The council, Bonar and Rumschlag plan to revisit the discussion of raises at the next meeting on Feb. 7.
holly@news-banner.com
