Commission splits vote on longevity corrections; moves Brett Blessing training pay to executive session

The Fall River County Commission approved a consolidated motion to correct multiple wage and longevity entries in personnel records but separately punted a $500-per-month training payment for county employee Brett Blessing to executive session.

County staff read a list of adjustments affecting roughly a dozen employees'their eligible longevity pay and hourly rates'and proposed handling them in one combined motion. A commissioner objected to bundling Brett Blessing'whose record includes a $500-per-month payment described in minutes as continued training'and asked to separate his line for discussion.

After debate, one commissioner moved that the group corrections be approved and that Brett Blessing'specifically the extra $500-a-month payment'be moved to executive session for further discussion. Commissioners voted to carry the combined corrections and to take the Blessing matter in private; a voice vote recorded the motion as carried.

During public discussion before the executive-session motion, speakers said the $500 had been agreed earlier because the employee had taken on additional responsibilities; others asked whether the payment was still warranted now that a colleague had been in place for several months. County staff said the matter remained in place "until we change it" and that the department would review responsibilities.

The commission then voted to take the Brett Blessing personnel discussion into executive session under the personnel exception; a follow-up public decision was not recorded in the transcript.

Separately at the meeting the commission approved several wage increases and longevity corrections that were described in the minutes and voted on by the body.