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Jennings County Council orders study of comp-time exposure, to seek vendor estimate and approves payroll correction
Summary
Councilors said HR reported 4,575 hours of comp time (about $111,591) across roughly 176 employees; they voted to form a small study committee to investigate reclassifying some hourly roles to salaried status and authorized requesting a vendor cost estimate, and approved a $2,000 payroll correction invoice.
During new business Speaker 2 reported an HR printout (shared by HR director Nikki Lucas) showing 4,575 hours of accrued comp time, an estimated payout of about $111,591, and approximately 176 employees on notice for additional payouts. Speaker 2 framed that liability as a budgetary issue that requires further study and proposed exploring whether some positions could be reclassified to salaried status to reduce overtime and comp-time exposure.
Council members debated practical limits and legal constraints: several members cautioned that elected department heads supervise their own offices and that the county's authority is constrained by statute and by existing employee handbooks or contracts. Speaker 2 and others pointed to prior work with the Department of Labor and noted there are statutory criteria for classifying employees as salaried vs. hourly.
The council moved to create a small study committee (three or fewer council members) to gather information, include a commissioner when appropriate, and work with HR and the auditor. The committee leadership named in the transcript includes Speaker 2 as lead, Speaker 1 as a member, with Speaker 6 as backup; the council asked HR and the auditor to provide supporting data. The council also approved a motion to request an initial estimate from an outside vendor (transcript reference to the vendor as 'Greedy'); the council emphasized getting an estimate first and returning to vote for any spending beyond that estimate.
Separately, the council voted to authorize payment of an invoice tied to a payroll tax withholding error affecting an individual employee (the transcript described $2,000 incorrectly withheld); that invoice was approved after a motion and second.
The transcript does not include a roll-call showing how each member voted on these items; some dissent was expressed during discussion about whether the committee would be effective, but motions to form the committee and to request an estimate were recorded as having passed by voice vote.
