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Votes at a glance: Ashland County Executive Committee, May 20, 2025
Summary
Ashland County Executive Committee members voted May 20 on highway staffing, a proposed highway mechanic, a county finance position and a rehire vacation appeal.
Ashland County Executive Committee members voted on several staffing and policy items at their May 20, 2025, meeting in Ashland.
The committee approved hiring a permanent part‑time employee for the highway department, using budgeted summer‑help funds to pay roughly 16 hours per week. The motion to authorize the hire was moved by Bill Metzinger and seconded by Pat Kinney; the committee approved it by voice vote.
A separate motion to hire a full‑time mechanic for the highway department drew lengthy debate on cost, shop capacity and potential revenue. The committee held a recorded roll‑call vote: Gary Mertag — no; Pat Kinney — no; Bill Metzinger — yes. The motion failed. Committee members directed the highway department to return with additional information at the next meeting.
The committee approved moving forward on a county finance leadership position. Pat Kinney moved that the committee approve posting a finance‑supervisor/director position; the motion carried on a roll call (Gary Mertag — yes; Pat Kinney — yes; Bill Metzinger — no). The item was referred to the finance committee to develop grade and budget details.
An employee appeal over vacation time awarded at hiring (a rehire case) was considered. The committee granted the employee the vacation described in the county’s earlier offer letter — 10 days — after a public presentation by the employee and discussion of handbook language.
Other procedural outcomes: updates to the employee handbook were discussed and then tabled to a future meeting so staff could refine language; a resolution requesting increased state court support was forwarded to the county board; and updates to the Ashland County Board of Supervisors handbook (meal/per‑diem language) were approved for submission to the county board.
Votes recorded in the meeting transcript or captured in roll calls are summarized below.
Votes (selected) - Approve hiring a part‑time highway employee — Motion: Bill Metzinger; Second: Pat Kinney; Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Hire mechanic, Highway Department — Motion: Bill Metzinger; Second: Pat Kinney; Roll‑call outcome: Gary Mertag — no; Pat Kinney — no; Bill Metzinger — yes; Outcome: failed. - Approve creating/posting a county finance supervisor/director position (send to Finance Committee) — Motion: Pat Kinney; Second: Gary Mertag; Roll‑call outcome: Gary Mertag — yes; Pat Kinney — yes; Bill Metzinger — no; Outcome: approved and referred to Finance. - Appeal: Rehired employee vacation (original offer of 10 days) — Motion: Pat Kinney; Second: Bill Metzinger; Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Employee handbook updates — Motion to table for further review and return to next Executive Committee meeting; Outcome: tabled. - Court funding resolution (request state increase to circuit court support payment) — Motion: Pat Kinney; Second: Bill Metzinger; Outcome: forwarded to county board for May 29 meeting. - Ashland County Board of Supervisors handbook (meal/per‑diem update) — Motion: Bill Metzinger; Second: (recorded); Outcome: approved and sent to county board.
Where motions were decided by voice vote the transcript reports the outcome but the roll‑call tally was not recorded in the minutes.
Provenance (selected evidence spans): topic introductions and finishes are captured in the meeting transcript for each item (example blocks listed below).
