Eight non-union Mower County employees will receive back pay.

Thursday, October 12, 2000

Eight non-union Mower County employees will receive back pay.

At the recommendation of the county board’s personnel committee, the commissioners unanimously approved the measure at their meeting Tuesday.

Len Miller, Fourth District, made the motion. Miller is chair of the county board’s personnel committee. David Hillier, Third District, seconded it and the measure was approved by a 5-0 vote.

According to Miller, eight non-union workers qualify for the back pay. The county board approved the recommendations of a consultant, who conducted a pay study that resulted in new job descriptions.

The amount of back pay earned by the eight county employees remains to be calculated, according to Miller.

Union workers, who qualify for the back pay, will have their wages adjusted when new contracts for the bargaining units are negotiated.

In another personnel matter Tuesday, the personnel committee recommended an amendment to the county’s insurance benefits policy, which paves the way to add disability insurance benefits to retired county employees 65 or older and with 10 or more years of employment with the county.

The amendment also was unanimously approved after a motion by Miller and a second from Hillier.

Also Tuesday, the county commissioners:

n Referred a request from the Mower County Agricultural Society for payment of $17,393 to the finance committee for a recommendation.

n Heard County Engineer Michael Hanson review the progress of the county’s road improvement and bridge repair or replacement projects.

n Heard County Coordinator Craig Oscarson announce notification that the city of Austin will not make any off-street parking available to county employees. Instead, the city has suggested the county purchase extended time parking spaces in two city lots near First United Methodist Church and Austin Public Library.

The county agreed to sell the former driver’s exam building and property for less than the appraised value to the city in order to allow the city’s new Courtyard Apartments project on a portion of First Avenue NE. The city was to provide the county with a commensurate amount of off-street parking for the parking area it lost at the driver’s exam building.

The commissioners said the issue would be discussed the next time the joint city-county officials and staff meeting takes place.