COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Board of Commissioners tabled a pair of staffing requests Friday in order to get more information.
One request is for an additional Branch County 911 dispatcher was put on hold when concerns were raised by Commissioners Ted Gordon, Terri Norris and Don Vrablic about it being a permanent position instead of a temporary one.
The request was made by 911 Director Kurt Spalding, who said changes to the structure of the service provided has caused several manpower changes. He also felt the department would save on overtime costs.
Commissioners also tabled a request from County Administrator Bud Norman to fill a full time Senior Account Clerk position that will be vacated due to retirement July 1, 2019. The position had been a United Auto Workers union position. The request was to start the person at an non-union wage of $18.61 an hour instead of the new hire union rate of $15.03. Norris felt that person should not make more money than Sheriff’s deputies or dispatchers.
Norman said he wanted it to turn in into a non-union position because that person would be involved in union negotiations.
He plans to bring back more information for the Commissioner’s work session next Friday.
