Commissioner pushes for operator pay raise

By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — While Trinity County Commissioners say money is tight due to inflation and the costs of dealing with this year’s weather disasters, Commissioner Tommy Park feels that unless they can find more money, the county could lose the operators and supervisors in the four Road and Bridge departments to neighboring counties.

The matter was brought up during a special budget meeting on Sept. 3.

Park said that during budget discussions in the previous year, they discussed operator pay raises, and since the budget hasn’t been finalized, there should be some consideration for the folks that operate the road equipment.

“My guys can go over to Polk County and make more money,” he said. “They make roughly $18 per hour, give or take, and can go across the county line and make $40 an hour. Can we give them a little incentive to stay?”

Commissioner Steven Truss said the workers also do so much more than drive half-million-dollar machines all day — they do maintenance, change tires, drive multiple machines, do so much more, and you can’t just go out and find people to replace that kind of experience.

Part of the issue is that the recently adopted pay scales the county uses have several people maxed out or at lower levels. Park suggested that the scales be adjusted for both operators and supervisors; County Auditor Bonnie Kennedy said she will amend the figures and present a new budget for commissioners to look at.

In related budget matters, Commissioner Neal Smith expressed concern about the budgets for the four Justice of the Peace offices. He said that every year he looks at the JP budgets, which should be even; however, the office budgets vary as much as $6,000.

JP Richard Steptoe explained there are certain differences in things like jury trials and education, and that his precinct is the only one with a standalone building. 

Kenned will adjust the budget to be more equal, including making the funds for education equal at $3,500.

Other items discussed were allocations for the Groveton Library, which would be set at $2,000; and the county’s fire departments will each see a 25 percent increase in their allotments, which comes to $17,280.