Probation seeks modest raises tied to supervision-fee fund as grants wane

An adult probation representative asked the Portage County Board of Commissioners to consider targeted pay increases and use of the supervision-fee fund to cover some salaries.

The presenter said the department “propose[s] a 5% for those guys” earning about $24 per hour and suggested a 3% increase for other staff, and urged the board to consider moving more positions from the general fund into the supervision-fee fund (11/21) to sustain pay raises. The presenter warned that several positions are currently paid by grants that may expire and that the department could face staff reductions in the next two to three years if that grant funding is not renewed.

Commissioners questioned the table of cost projections and whether a middle-column figure had been pasted incorrectly; one commissioner estimated that roughly $126,000 would come from fund 11/21 rather than the larger number printed in the report. The department said first-quarter collections of supervision fees tend to be strongest and noted variability tied to income-tax season and voluntary compliance.

The presentation also discussed court-supervised drug testing programs and monitoring technologies. Staff said Kent courthouse has office space available but Ravenna does not, and that judges’ preferences will determine where testing takes place. The presenter cautioned against using restricted opioid grant dollars where audits could require repayment.

Next steps: commissioners said they will consider the request as the budget process continues; the county’s permanent budget is expected to be finalized no later than early April, and any use of special funds would be weighed against long-term sustainability and audit risk.