Fremont County approves benefits handbook and raises starting wages for three offices

Fremont County commissioners on May 12 approved updated employee handbooks and a plan to align starting wages across three elected offices.

County Clerk Julie Freese presented an updated Policy and Procedure Handbook and an Employee Benefits Handbook that expands the county’s harassment policy to include vendors and outside customers. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve both handbooks.

The board also approved raising starting salaries in the Clerk, Assessor and Treasurer offices to $40,090. Freese, Assessor Tara Berg and Treasurer Jim Anderson explained the change is intended to align starting wages across the three offices; meeting materials showed prior starting wages of about $36,800 (Clerk), $38,600 (Assessor) and $39,400 (Treasurer). Commissioners agreed to hold a broader work session with elected officials, department heads and board representatives to discuss additional pay adjustments.

Separately, the board approved hiring a summer intern for the County Attorney’s Office at a total compensation of $7,875 for June and July (motion by Michael Jones; seconded by Ron Fabrizius). Julie Freese also briefed the board on Wyoming Retirement contributions, saying employee rates will rise by approximately 1.8% this year and that some counties choose to cover retirement contributions fully; Freese will provide additional information at a later date.

The handbooks, wage alignment and intern hire were recorded as motions and carried unanimously. Commissioners did not set immediate changes to retirement contribution splits during the meeting.