Steele County approves interim superintendent pay, authorizes payout of excess vacation hours and job posting

Steele County commissioners and the Steele County Park Board met Jan. 6 and approved personnel moves that include a temporary pay-grade adjustment for the acting superintendent, a one-time payout of excess vacation hours for three road employees and authorization to advertise the permanent superintendent vacancy.

The board voted to place Tim (last name not given in the record) at “grade 18 step 9” retroactive to when he began serving as the interim superintendent, a change staff recommended to compensate him for performing the working-superintendent duties. Staff presented figures described in their packet as $531 in retroactive pay; the packet also described a forward hourly rate and the plan that Tim would revert to his previous grade if a new hire is made. Motion to adopt the interim pay was made and seconded and carried with one recorded opposition.

Members also discussed vacation-hour overages for three road employees. Staff reported the overages and presented individual payout amounts as stated in the record: Ski $285.12, Tim $662.17 and Ethan $438.94, for a total reported payout of $1,386.23. After noting auditors’ general preference against large carryovers, the board voted to pay out the excess vacation time rather than force forfeiture; that motion carried with one opposition recorded.

The board directed staff to proceed with recruiting for the superintendent position as a working superintendent role, with a stated preference for county residents or candidates willing to relocate. Members briefed several recruitment channels (local newspapers, community Facebook posts, boosted outreach) and asked staff to draft a job posting and return it for final review.

On related personnel matters, the board approved a motion to begin advertising a summer intern pilot to support records digitization and other courthouse-office work. Members discussed compliance with federal and state youth-employment rules before hiring; staff were asked to vet regulations with the school-to-work program and return with a plan.

The meeting record shows motions were typically made, seconded and recorded as carried with one opposed vote noted in several decisions. No salary figures beyond those presented in the staff packet were adopted without later board review, and members reiterated that any final acceptance of a permanent hire would return to the board for formal approval.