Exploitation of a pandemic

The little reported information on the elected officials getting a 7% raise is astonishing. My friends in the road department stomached no cost-of-living raise for two years because of the pandemic with the supposed loss of revenue. Trying to be the team players that they are, they went along with it.

Darren Alred, from the salary commission, suggested raises of 7-10% would help retain elected officials. I did not know we had to actively try to retain an elected official by throwing money at them. Every time one of the commissioners is on a phone conference or is contacted for an interview, it seems as if they are always in a combine or a tractor! Getting paid $80,000 a year, I would think 40 hours a week in the office wouldn't be too much to ask for.

The problem with employee retention is in the road department, not elected officials. I haven't seen an elected official quit yet so is retention a problem? It seems like a revolving door from the jobs that are continuously posted. Why are turnover rates so high? Is it poor management or stagnant wages and benefits or perhaps both? Where is the extra road levy money going?

It would be nice if the commissioners would do what they said with the COVID relief money when it comes to employees having to use up sick and vacation time to quarantine. How long does it take to credit employees back? Do you value your employees?