Gogebic County Board agrees to job analysis

By RALPH ANSAMI

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Bessemer — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved an employees’ pay and classification study on a 5-1 vote.

The study will be done by the MGT Consulting Group at a cost of up to $26,715.

The study will attempt to determine department employee salary structures, including recommendations for raises.

The board’s personnel and negotiating committee voted May 31 to begin the study.

Jeff Wasley, of Ironwood, who cast the lone no vote Wednesday, said, “I’m not sure this study will help, especially at that cost.”

But commissioner Jim Oliver, of Ironwood, said the study will “tell us how many people we should have for each office.”

During the discussion at the committee level, it was pointed out there are inequities in pay scales. Some deputies, for example, are making more money than the sheriff, who is in an elected position.

Commissioners said it’s possible they may find some departments are overstaffed, while others don’t have enough employees.

County administrator Juliane Giackino said the study should allow the county board to create new job descriptions.

The study is expected to last for about three weeks.

Commissioner Tom Laabs, of Ironwood, suggested any cost savings measures, such as videoconferencing, should be used to hold down the cost. He said the county has been considering such a study for a long time.

Commissioner Dan Siirila, of Ironwood, was absent.

The county board also approved another personnel committee recommendation that effective Oct. 1, all county retirees should be switched over to the base health plan currently offered to county employees.

The future group of retirees entitled to health insurance would not have a monetary contribution upon retirement for their health insurance premiums, should one be applied to active employees, the committee recommended and the board approved.

Commissioners also approved county clerk Gerry Pelissero’s request to fill the vacancy of the chief deputy clerk as soon as possible with a union employee.

Board chairman George Peterson, of Watersmeet, brought up two non-agenda items under “other matters.”

Peterson said offices in the courthouse with more than one employee should remain open during the noon hour, with a memorandum to be sent out to department heads.

“The employees should serve the people of the county,” he said.

Peterson also said a letter that was placed in the bathrooms and in employee mailboxes was unnecessary.

“Some people thought it was a joke and others were offended,” he said.

Without mentioning the contents of the letter, Peterson said it showed perhaps an employee has too much time on his or her hands.

Oliver said county employees’ computer use can be tracked under a program that the county pays to use.