QC needs two tries on giving raises

By John Miller, 05/24/23 9:28 AM

PRESCOTT – A special meeting of the Nevada County Quorum Court was called Tuesday night with the only item on the agenda to give raises to courthouse employees and drivers with CDL licenses.

It should not have taken long to do, and it should have been a simple matter. However, the meeting started 10 minutes late while waiting for justices of the peace who weren’t going to be there. Once things got started, Pat Grimes, a member of the budget committee, said the money was in the county general budget for the raises. She added one employee didn’t want a raise as it would affect her Social Security.

County Treasurer Ricky Reyenga said the county general fund has an “abundance” of money at this time and if it keeps growing the county should consider getting a CD.

County Clerk Tammie Rose said the raises would bring all courthouse employees and CDL drivers to $14 an hour, with most getting a $1.25 an hour raise, while others would receive $3 an hour based on their current salary.

Reyenga said new hires will be brought in at minimum wage and given raises as they’re earned.

No problem so far, right. The court voted to approve bringing all courthouse employees and CDL drivers to $14 an hour while giving part-time employees a $1 an hour raise.

With this done, the meeting was adjourned and everyone went their separate ways.

However, shortly after the meeting ended, the JPs were called back and the meeting was again called into session. There was a delay of 30 minutes while attempts were made to contact a reporter from SWARK.Today so two different articles wouldn’t appear in the media. He was contacted, eventually, and it was determined to email the court’s decision to him later on.

The court voted to annul the previous motion and raise, with a new motion made to bring CDL drivers up to $14 an hours and courthouse employees to $13 an hour. As part-time employees were done in a separate motion, that decision wasn’t affected.