Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Arnold Requests Raise to Level Salaries

Monday night's meeting of the Clark County Quorum Court was short and sweet.

In its first meeting for 1996, the court heard a request from Circuit Judge W.H. "Dub" Arnold to get the salaries for youth service workers closer together.

Arnold said one of the workers is making about $23,000 per year, while the other takes home about $19,000.

He told the justices the state will be taking over one-half the salaries as of July 1, 1996.

Arnold told the county's governing body he had made a footnote on his budget request thinking the entire court would see it. However, the original budget proposals were only seen by members of the court's budget committee and not all 11 justices.

According to Arnold, in 1997, the state will pay the entire salary for the two workers, and all his office will need in the way of funding is for office supplies, equipment and postage.

He told the JPs the two women do virtually the same job, yet there is a $4,000 discrepancy between their salaries. "If there are more cost of living raises," he said, "they'll just get farther apart. I felt I needed to try and bring them closer together than what they are."

Clark County Judge Grady Runyan then tossed the ball to the court, asking what the justices wanted to do about the matter.

Bill Conine, who chaired the court's budget committee, said all county employees got a 3 percent raise, and those who were eligible received step increases as well.

Runyan said his problem is when the two started work at the youth services center. Their start dates, he said, would have a direct effect on how much they are currently making because of any raises given to one before the other started would mean an increase in the base pay for the newer employee.

The court decided to have the budget committee examine the issue and, if necessary, a special meeting will be called to make a decision on the matter.

Runyan had a request of his own to make. He told the justices a full-time maintenance man was needed to take care of the county's six buildings.

He told the court of a 41-year-old man who is willing to take the job for a base salary of $15,000 per year plus all county benefits.

According to Runyan, the candidate doesn't drink and has some skills in plumbing, electrical work and carpentry. However, he is not licensed in any of these areas.

The salary request Runyan presented showed a base of $15,000, with retirement, social security matching, dental insurance, health insurance, vision insurance, life insurance and disability all added in for a total package worth $19,135.18.

Runyan said the county-owned buildings are old and need to be better maintained.

The county's current maintenance man also holds down a job with the Arkadelphia schools. This, Runyan said, means when something goes wrong the county literally must schedule an appointment with him and wait until he can arrive and do the job.

Larry Thomerson questioned how much other maintenance personnel were being paid and was told about $13,000 per year. However, he was also told these are not full-time workers.

Runyan also said there is another man who is willing to work three days a week on county maintenance.

"Do you expect me to do the work," he asked as nothing was being done. "I've been criticized for not getting the Christmas lights up."

Currently, the county must call licensed tradesmen, such as plumbers, electricians and carpenters, to get work done. Runyan said he's had to hire someone to build shelves and to change light bulbs.

Again, the court decided to toss this issue to the budget committee for its rumination. The committee will report back to the entire body during the February meeting.

In the judge's report, Runyan said Jerry Simmons, with Twin Rivers Architects of Arkadelphia, has been meeting with heating, air conditioning and electrical workers on the courthouse annex.

He said whatever Simmons learns will be passed on to the county's building committee for further study.

There will be some changes made, however. Runyan said two offices require modifications, but these will be addressed by the office personnel and building committee.

"Otherwise," he said, "we're on target to begin construction in June."