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Sheriff gets pay‑raise and recruitment incentives approved to address jail staffing shortages
Summary
Cole County commissioners approved a $2,000 pay raise for jailers funded by eliminating one jailer position and adopted a $50 recruitment incentive program (expanded to county employees but excluding elected officials) to address six full‑time jailer vacancies.
Sheriff presented two measures to address staffing shortages in the jail: a $2,000 pay increase for jailers and a recruitment incentive program. He said the department is currently short six full‑time jailers and proposed funding the pay increase by eliminating one jailer position from the budget (the gross cost of a jailer position was described as just over $70,000 including benefits). The sheriff estimated the $2,000 increase for current jailers would cost about $38,000 at full staffing but noted vacancies reduce the immediate cost.
The second proposal would provide a $50 gift certificate to a current employee who refers a successful applicant; the referring employees would be entered into an end‑of‑year drawing for a larger prize. The sheriff said incentive payments would be funded from non‑county barbecue and donation funds; commissioners discussed payroll and IRS implications of non‑payroll incentives.
After discussion about overtime, budgeting and administrative details, the commission voted to adopt proposal one (the $2,000 pay raise funded by eliminating a position) and to adopt proposal two as amended to allow county employees to participate in the referral incentive while explicitly excluding elected officials. Both motions were seconded and approved by voice vote.
