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Vermillion County Council approves $40,000 to catch up auditor's plat books after staffing debate
Summary
After a lengthy debate over hiring part-time help versus restoring a full-time position, the Vermillion County Council approved a $40,000 additional appropriation from the plat book fee fund to pay for part-time staff and overtime to update county plat books and records.
The Vermillion County Council voted Jan. 12 to approve a $40,000 additional appropriation from the plat book fee fund to pay temporary staff and overtime in the auditor's office to address a backlog in plat-book and records work.
Council members debated at length whether the money should be used to hire part-time workers at $15 an hour, hire two part-time employees to yield more coverage, contract the work out, or restore a previously cut full-time position. The appropriation request, as introduced, broke the $40,000 into $32,000 for part-time wages and $8,000 for overtime and associated employment costs.
Supporters of the appropriation said the funding will let the auditor's office begin catching up on months of unentered records and keep county records current. Opponents and some council members urged caution, noting that $32,000 would not cover a year-long full-time hire once benefits and payroll taxes are included, and that hiring part-time workers has led to retention problems in the past.
Speaker 3 (auditor's office representative) described the current backlog and said it will take sustained labor to bring records up to date; several council members suggested starting with temporary or part-time help for six months and reassessing whether a full-time position is warranted later. Council members also discussed posting and recruitment locations, including the county website and local schools.
After discussion, Speaker 2 moved to approve the $40,000 additional appropriation for the plat book fee fund; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.
The council also directed a small working group of members and staff to meet with the auditor's office to firm up job-hour estimates, benefit calculations and line-item allocations before any transition to a full-time hire or further appropriations.
Next steps: the auditor's office and council staff will refine the hiring plan and budget line items, including how employment taxes and any benefits will be charged against the $40,000, and report back to the council.
