Plan would eliminate one position, promote two equipment operators/mechanics

BY KEVIN BONESKE

REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER

Oneida County’s Labor Relations and Employee Services Committee agreed Tuesday to recommend the full County Board approve a reorganizational plan for the county highway department estimated to save more than $40,000 annually.

Personnel changes called for in the reorganization backed by the committee include eliminating the current assistant patrol superintendent position, promoting two equipment operators/mechanics to assistant patrol superintendents, increase the pay grade of a shop superintendent and increasing management staff from 37.5 hours to 40 hours per week with a new pay grade at the next step level that warrants an increase.

County human resources director Lisa Charbarneau said the changes are being made with the highway department’s assistant patrol superintendent leaving to work for a township.

“Overall, what the (reorganization) is going to do is eliminate one position from the highway working crew and take basically two of the crew people – change those two positions into working supervisors…,” Charbarneau said. “So they will take on some of the management roles of scheduling and making sure that there is accountability of getting people out on the road, meeting with management, both a.m. and p.m., to make sure that what is being assigned is getting done.”

Charbarneau said she was informed by highway commissioner Bruce Stefonek that despite eliminating one position, “the efficiencies that by having those supervisors on those work crews will give us enough people to get the work done and actually get it done more efficiently.”

According to the fiscal impact statement provided to the committee by county finance director Darcy Smith, the proposed changes have a projected increase in wages of $37,656 offset by a decrease of $79,890 in wages and benefits for an estimated net savings of $42,234.

The committee’s recommendation is being forwarded to the full County Board for action at a special meeting being planned for Dec. 19.