Pardeeville trustees split on call‑back pay; handbook sent back to committee for revision

The Pardeeville Village Board on Jan. 7 debated revisions to the employee handbook’s overtime and call-back provisions, voting on several proposals before ultimately sending the handbook back to the Finance & Administration Committee and Attorney Johnson for more review.

Trustee Babcock proposed honoring call‑back pay at time‑and‑a‑half when call‑back hours are separate from a staffer’s workday, but that motion failed for lack of a second. President Engelmann then moved to remove the call‑back line and to pay overtime only for hours worked in excess of 40; Trustee Chapman seconded the amendment and it passed on a 5‑2 roll call (Yes: Chapman, Engelmann, Kocher, Kopfhamer, Miller; No: Babcock, Nakielski).

Trustee Babcock later proposed compensating non‑exempt staff at 1.5 times their regular rate for all Saturday and Sunday hours, but the motion was withdrawn. To resolve outstanding concerns and produce clearer language, Trustee Nakielski moved — and the board approved unanimously — to return the handbook to the Finance & Administration Committee with Attorney Johnson for further drafting and review.

Board members discussed operational context: President Engelmann said the village paid $38,252.37 in overtime last year, with most spending concentrated in January–March. Trustees debated whether call‑back pay should be distinct from overtime and discussed options such as contracting outside plow services to limit emergency call‑backs.

The committee review will address the separation of call‑back pay from regular overtime, weekend premium pay, and clear supervision and scheduling language before the item returns to the full board for final action.