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Grand Forks County commissioners debate replacing inclement-weather pay with stipend; vote delayed
Summary
County staff proposed replacing the county's inclement-weather policy with a broader building-closure policy and offered a $200 stipend option for essential employees; employee representatives favored keeping hour-for-hour parity. The board directed staff to revise the draft and bring it back for notice and a vote.
County staff asked the Grand Forks County Board of Commissioners to replace the existing inclement-weather policy with a broader building-closure policy and sought guidance on how essential employees should be compensated when county offices are closed.
The proposed policy would expand the chair's authority to close county buildings for events beyond severe weather — including loss of power, cyberattack, security threats and evacuations — and separate the building-closure declaration from any payroll decision. Staff presented an optional ‘‘inclement weather stipend’’ in the draft, citing $200 as an example amount for the board's discussion.
Mr. Edmond, speaking for the employee association, urged parity for essential workers and presented internal survey results. He said the survey showed most respondents favor maintaining or improving current protections and argued that ‘‘hour and hour is what's equal amongst all employees,’’ meaning essential workers should receive hour-for-hour compensation or equivalent time off.
Several commissioners and Sheriff Andy Schneider questioned the stipend approach and emphasized operational needs. One commissioner said, ‘‘I'm not for paying people $200 to come to work,’’ while Sheriff Andy Schneider described the operational realities of deputies and jail staff and warned about scheduling and overtime complications if comp-time were used instead of direct pay.
County administrators noted administrative steps taken since the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate work-from-home arrangements and said department heads have developed plans to allow many administrative employees to continue working remotely during closures. The state's attorney advised that the draft be reviewed and that employees be given proper notice of any contemplated change.
After extended discussion and questions about definitions (for example, what constitutes a ‘‘building closure’’ and whether a late opening would trigger a stipend), the board agreed not to adopt the policy at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to collect commissioner preferences and return with a redrafted policy and employee notice; the item was scheduled for further consideration at the next meeting.
The board did not set a final stipend amount or change payroll practice at this meeting; the matter was left for revision by staff and further deliberation.
