But John Bilogan’s salary won’t increase in 2017

BY KEVIN BONESKE

REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER

Oneida County forestry and outdoor recreation director John Bilogan will be moving up a pay grade level, but won’t be getting paid more this year.

Sixteen of the 17 County Board supervisors present for Tuesday’s monthly meeting at the Courthouse approved placing the forestry director into Grade Level O, up from the previous Grade Level N.

Though the change would increase the position’s annual wages by more than $4,000 from $73,266 to $77.360 at Step 14, the highest step in the county’s wage schedule, Bilogan’s wages for 2017 are budgeted at $78,368 because he is considered a “red-circled” employee already making more than designated in the wage schedule, which was put together by Carlson Dettmann Consulting and took effect in 2014.

Supervisor Billy Friend, who is on the county’s Labor Relations and Employee Services Committee that recommended the change last month, cast the lone dissenting vote. He said he favored reviewing the wage schedule for the forestry director when the position would become vacant.

County human resources director Lisa Charbarneau, who noted the recommended pay grade increase from N to O was for the position and not the employee currently in it, said the forestry director position called for a higher level of thinking challenges and problem solving than what the Carlson Dettmann study had designated.

Supervisor Jack Sorensen, who chairs the Forestry, Land and Recreation Committee, said he “can’t say enough kind and positives words about John Bilogan,” noting that Bilogan is able to deal with individuals of varying interests, such as snowmobilers and those involved in silent sports, and handles both forestry and recreation matters in the county while Vilas County has two separate people in charge of forestry and recreation.

Supervisor Ted Cushing, who chairs the Labor Relations and Employee Services Committee, called the Carlson Dettmann wage schedule a “living document.”

“We have reviewed it position by position when it’s brought forward,” Cushing said.