Commissioners agree to change in JFS pay table
COSHOCTON – Mindy Fehrman, director of the Coshocton County Job and Family Services, wanted her employees to know that they are valued and with the help of the Coshocton County Commissioners she is now able to do that.
After listening to a presentation made by Fehrman at their Oct. 3 meeting, the commissioners agreed to sign a resolution that makes changes to the job and family services pay table.
A survey done of various JFS offices in Ohio helped Fehrman decide to shoot for paying her employees 90 percent of the state average.
“I was concerned about the pay scale of various positions,” she said. “I wanted to be competitive, but still stay within budget, which I’m please to say I can do. We expect a lot from our staff and we weren’t being competitive locally or state wide.”
Fehrman also informed the commissioners that several counties were paying their JFS employees three to four dollars more an hour to start for the same jobs Coshocton employees do.
JFS employs 59 people and 58 of them will see adjustments to their pay over the next year.
“I’m just so excited,” Fehrman said. “I’m excited to tell my staff how valuable they are and that we have your support. Without you this would not happen.”
Dane Shryock, chairman of the board of commissioners, was glad they could help. He, however, also had a question for Fehrman.
“Is there an increase number of people coming from out of town to live here to get benefits because the cost of living is less?”
Fehrman doesn’t believe that is true, but told the commissioners she would do research on the topic.
In other news, the commissioners also agreed to sign the State of Ohio Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $96,000 for the 2012 CDBG Grant year.
According to Clerk Mary Beck, the grant helps low to moderate income townships and villages with housing, street and even park improvements. It is designed to help a community and is not for individuals to apply for.
The grant has been used in both West Lafayette and Warsaw to make improvements to their parks and is administered out of the commissioners’ office.
The commissioners also agreed to a request from County Engineer Fred Wachtel to officially rename County Road 91, from the Coshocton City Corporation Limits to State Route 83 South, Otsego Avenue.
Residents in the area were already using Otsego Avenue as their address.
“I don’t want to create an issue for them by not changing it, but I would like to know from Fred how it happened,” said Commissioner Gary Fischer.
Commissioner Curtis Lee was also a little concerned about the topic, but after discussion the commissioners agreed to okay Wachtel’s request.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Government
