Council tables veterans services part‑time driver pay and job‑description questions until February

Council members discussed a request to appropriate funds for a part‑time driver for Veterans Services to ensure consistent transportation where volunteer help is insufficient. The discussion reviewed a proposed $17 hourly rate, an estimated schedule of three days per week (21 hours per week) and a preliminary annual cost estimate, and concluded with a motion to table the request to the council's February agenda pending job descriptions and budget clarifications.

Council members said the program had relied on volunteers and that demand for the county vehicle outpaced volunteer availability. Staff reported an initial calculation that three days a week at roughly seven hours per day (21 hours per week) would reduce but not eliminate the volunteer‑dependent gap. Questions remained about the exact number of hours, the total appropriation required, and which fund would pay the salary; staff said the request would be paid from the general fund unless specified otherwise.

Councilor John Collins moved to table the item until the Feb. 0 meeting so staff could confirm the job description, the total appropriation needed and whether the $17 hourly rate had previously been approved in minutes. John White seconded the motion; the council voted to table the matter to the Feb. 0 agenda with direction for staff to return with job descriptions, funding sources and a clear salary justification.