By Aubreanna Miller
For the Herald
The approval of personal property tax corrections acted as the only item of business for the quick Board of Equalization meeting for Wayne Commissioners Tuesday.
During the regularly scheduled commissioner meeting, Highway Superintendent Mark Casey and Assistant Kyle Huff discussed project updates and the replacement of the superintendent position following Casey's retirement.
The Commissioners needed to decide whether they would advertise for the position or make an appointment. They also needed to set hours and wages.
Huff has undergone two days of training a week with Casey for several months and received certifications for his Class B superintendent license. After two years experience in a superintendent position, according to Casey, a person would then receive their Class A certification.
Casey said he plans to retire on Jan. 11 and advised the board to appoint Huff to take his place instead of advertising. According to County Attorney Amy Miller, the board had the ability to bypass advertising and instead change Huff's part-time position to full-time.
Commissioner Jim Rabe made a motion to appoint Huff with a starting wage of $60,000- this amount aligning with the pay of superintendents from nearby counties, he said. The motion died without a second.
Rabe explained the board should appoint Huff because of the training he has undergone and because the county financed his certifications.
Terry Sievers, opposing this, asserted the board should advertise for the position, following the process that occurs for every other court office. He then made a motion to advertise for the position for the same pay, which also died without a second.
After hearing from Huff himself, who said he would appreciate having the appointment, but would still apply if they needed to advertise, Commissioner Chairman Dean Burbach motioned to advertise for the position for a starting wage of $60,000. He also added the hours would take place from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The motioned passed 2-1 with Rabe as the dissenting vote.
Also during the meeting, Casey Junck from the Veterans Service Committee asked for a $1 per hour pay increase for the veterans service officer position.
The officer, Yancey Keiser, has undergone his probationary six months during which he has met with around 180 veterans, 160 from Wayne County.
Keiser also hosted a booth at the Wayne County Fair, attended Chicken Days and participated in Dreamer's Place events for veterans.
Commissioners approved this raise, alongside appointing Brad Wieland to complete Dan Fehringer's term on the Veteran's Service Committee ending June 30, 2025.
The final item of business was approving the Interlocal Agreement between Wayne County and The City of Wayne to allocate funding toward the Wayne Area Economic Development.
Luke Virgil, executive director, said the City Council approved the agreement, with no changes, during their last meeting.
The Commissioners approved the document as well, promising to budget in payments to WAED quarterly for three years.
The next meeting of the Wayne County Commissioners will take place on Dec. 5 at 9 a.m.
