Jackson County committee reviews pay schedules, safety training, trenching rules and missing-equipment procedures; holds contract award

The Jackson County Public Works Committee, chaired by Manny Abarca, reviewed job descriptions and salary schedules for the Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments and discussed safety and equipment procedures at its meeting that began at 10:47 a.m. The committee also voted to hold a resolution on a term supply contract for removal services.

Committee chair Manny Abarca opened the meeting and moved to postpone consideration of resolution 21874, a proposed 24-month term supply contract (with two 12‑month renewal options) for removal services under invitation to bid 24096; after a motion to hold and a second, Abarca said, “we will hold.” The motion was recorded with no objections.

The session focused primarily on organizational structure, pay and training. Brian Gaddy, Director of Public Works, described the department’s structure as five to six divisions — facilities, planning, engineering, fleet, road and bridge, plus the director’s division — each led by administrators and, where needed, assistant administrators. Gaddy said the department tries to limit supervisory spans: “We try to keep no no individual, crew or body larger than 7, so no supervisor, supervises more than 7 associates.” Michelle Newman, Director of Parks and Recreation, gave a similar overview of Parks and Recreation’s structure, which she said includes two deputy directors and multiple superintendents for functions such as golf, recreation, historic sites, operations, planning and park safety.

On pay, staff said the most recent county salary schedule on file is for 2024 and will be adjusted once the 2025 county budget is approved. Committee members referenced a countywide Evergreen study implemented in 2020 that used 2019 data; Human Resources said pay and classifications are reviewed annually and that regional market data from the Mid America Regional Council is also considered. The departments have used out‑of‑class pay in the past to cover duties temporarily; Parks provided an example where a deputy superintendent took on more than 75% of the chief of park safety duties and received out‑of‑class pay while the position remained open.

Newman said a recent county job fair attracted a strong turnout: “We had 60 plus people come,” and Parks reported two on‑the‑spot hires after providing computers and interview rooms at the event.

Committee members reviewed safety and operational policies. Public Works submitted updates to the county’s inclement weather policy (including a snow- and ice‑removal SOP) on April 11 and made those documents available for committee review. Discussion of trenching procedures raised concerns about overlap with ongoing labor negotiations; the director of parks said specifics related to who performs certain trenching tasks are being discussed in collective bargaining and, to avoid affecting negotiations, the department would not discuss changes to that portion of policy at the meeting. Committee members were told, however, that the department follows federal Department of Labor/OSHA standards and that current practice at the departments treats trenching thresholds conservatively: the standard cited in the meeting was 5 feet, which Jackson County had modified to 4 feet for internally performed work; anything deeper is referred to an outside contractor.

On OSHA training, Parks and Recreation reported it has identified an on‑site trainer and funding for maintenance and operations staff; specific training dates were being determined. Public Works said OSHA 10 courses are included in its broader training curriculum and that the departments maintain a mix of one‑time and recurring training modules offered at varying times through the year.

The committee also reviewed equipment‑reporting procedures after Parks reported a stolen 1996 John Deere tractor. According to Parks staff, the theft was immediately reported to park supervisors, the ranger division and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department; those reports were forwarded to the county risk manager, Sarah Mathis, who filed an insurance claim. The claim paid $50,000, and staff said the legislature declared the stolen tractor surplus under Resolution 21,828 (approved by the legislature 9–0 on Dec. 16, 2024); proceeds were included in the 2025 budget and staff said the county plans to use the funds to purchase two zero‑turn mowers as replacements.

Committee members asked for written materials and follow-up. Staff said Human Resources curates organizational charts and would provide the current charts and job‑description folders to committee members. Parks said it could provide any existing written trenching policy as an open record but would not discuss pending negotiation items. The County Executive’s office noted that asset‑tracking practices vary by department (IT uses more advanced tracking tools than some operational departments) and that vehicles and titled equipment are tracked by VIN or license plate and typically carry visible county identification.

The committee adjourned at 11:13 a.m.