Board authorizes hiring exception, salary shift and staff to pursue budget steps for equipment purchase

The Warrick County Solid Waste Management District Board on Aug. 21 approved multiple personnel and budget-related actions, including a hiring exception to fill a processing-center vacancy immediately, a salary adjustment tied to safety responsibilities, and staff direction to pursue budget approvals for capital equipment.

The board granted authority to Freddie (surname not provided), the district superintendent, and Reagan (surname not provided), a district staff member, to hire a previously employed, trained candidate for the open processing-center assistant position without external posting. The board suspended its usual open-posting policy for exigent circumstances and approved the hire with an effective start date as soon as Monday; the motion carried 6–0.

Separately, the board approved a salary-resolution change (identified in meeting materials as resolution 2025-04) that shifts a 50-cent-per-hour safety-liaison premium from a heavy-equipment driver position to Tiffany Hall (role: office manager in materials presented to the board) because she is OSHA-10 certified and would assume responsibility for first-aid kits and eyewash stations. Board members said the change is expected to reduce long-term costs by moving some services in-house rather than contracting them out.

On staffing costs, Reagan reported the cost for four additional express personnel for the remainder of the year and said the district can cover "the $56,295" for the rest of 2025, though an out-of-line transfer will likely be required later. Staff projected a 2026 cost of about $168,480 for those positions and said the district will take a closer look at next year’s budget.

The board also authorized staff to seek quotes for a larger, automated baler (to replace an aging manual baler) and directed Reagan to communicate with the State Board of Accounts to prepare documentation needed for a potential request to the county council for an additional appropriation. Staff said the current small baler is 17–18 years old, averages about $2,500 per month in repairs and that producing a typical bale requires about two to two-and-a-half hours with current equipment; newer auto-tie balers would cut processing time substantially. Freddie and staff will work with procurement and accounting to develop quotes and the necessary appropriation paperwork.

Reagan also sought board consensus to explore outsourcing human-resources services by obtaining quotes; the board agreed by consensus that staff may solicit bids and report back — staff clarified this was an exploratory step and no interlocal agreement would be dissolved at this time without later board action.

Ending

Staff will proceed with the hiring exception, update personnel budgets, pursue quotes for a replacement baler and seek the procedural steps with the State Board of Accounts needed to request additional council appropriations if required; the board will review resulting proposals at a future meeting.