By Clara Osten,
clara@wayneherald.com
How to compensate employees, when they get time off and how that time off is handled were among the topics debated by the Wayne County Board of Commissioners as they worked through one of the chapters of the Personnel Policy.
During Tuesday's commissioner's meeting, various parts of the chapter were discussed at length and determinations made on which sections need to be eliminated from the policy and which needed corrections.
Among the topics discussed were retention pay, sick leave and requirements for benefits.
County Attorney Amy Miller was present to provide information to the commissioners on what parts of the policy federal regulations and not open to change by the board and which parts of the policy are not necessary.
Several changes in the paid holiday portion of the policy were amended, including removing the half day off for the Wayne County Fair and adding that time to the Christmas Eve holiday.
More discussion will be held on the personnel policy at future meetings.
In other action, the board approved applications for Wayne County Lodging Tax grant funds to the following:
Celebrate the Holidays with The Northern Lights on Nov. 17-18 — $1,500;
The Fall Thing on Oct. 28 in Wayne — $1,000;
Christmas in Wayne on Nov. 16 — $1,000;
A Victorian Christmas on Dec. 9 — $750; and
Christmas 'N' Carroll on Nov. 17-18 — $500.
Highway Superintendent Mark Casey and Kyle Huff spoke to the board on various bridge and road projects in the county.
They are currently working to get needed signatures from land owners before bridge work can begin.
County Attorney Miller explained to both the commissioners and Casey what signatures are required and noted that the land owners need to be contacted to get these.
Also in the Highway Superintendent's update was the fact that there are 19 bridges that need to be inspected in the month of October.
Casey said he has not received a reply from the Fastwyre officials after he sent them information from the last commissioner meeting.
No word has been received by the county in regard to carbon pipelines through the county. Casey discussed what is happening in other states in regard to these pipelines and said that clearance to proceed with the project has not yet been received.
Acting as the Board of Equalization prior to the Commissioners' meeting, the board set the 2023 Tax Rates for the government entities that receive county tax dollars.
These include the county, the Ag Society, ESU#1, the villages of Carroll, Hoskins, Sholes and Winside, the city of Wayne, the Wayne Airport Authority, the Wayne Community Redevelopment Authority, the rural fire protection districts in Carrroll, Wayne, Hoskins, Winside and Wakefield and the school districts in Wayne, Wakefield and Winside.
The majority of these entities saw little to no increases in the levy, as the valuation within the county was up considerably.
The Wayne County Board of Commissioners will next meet in regular session on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 9 a.m. in the Wayne County Courthouse.
