Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 10, 1995 TAG: 9505100080
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SARAH HUNTLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Under the officers' proposal, developed by a police committee, that money would be used to give 105 officers pay increases ranging from $45 to $11,000 this year to address current inequities. The salaries of 18 officers would remain the same.
The proposal also calls for new hires to be brought on board at the same starting salary, regardless of experience or education. As long as they continue to receive a satisfactory performance evaluation, officers would be guaranteed a 3 percent annual pay raise - in addition to a cost of living increase - for the first 15 years. An additional pay increase would reward 20 years of service.
The supervisors gave the proposal a lukewarm reaction at their afternoon budget work session.
The salary problems came to light in March, after a detective filed a lawsuit charging that the pay scale creates inequities.
The department's pay scale categorizes employees under one of 35 pay grades. Within each grade, there is a salary range including a minimum, midpoint and maximum figure. County officials say the midpoint is the job's market value.
But officers say individual salaries have been adjusted unfairly and that some officers with several years' experience earn little more than recruits because the county continues to increase starting pay. In addition, the average county officer makes significantly less than police in Roanoke and Salem.
The disparities have resulted in a high turnover rate that has cost the department an average of $100,000 a year since 1990 in recruitment and training, police say.
"These are problems that have developed over 15, 20 years," Sgt. Jeff Swortzel said Tuesday. "This plan corrects every inequity in the Police Department today. It also prevents the inequities from happening in the future and restores parity."
Some supervisors raised concerns about the lack of merit rewards under the officers' proposal.
"I think you ought to be paid for performance, not just because you show up every year and are deemed satisfactory," Supervisor Harry Nickens said.
County Administrator Elmer Hodge has requested $400,000 in his proposed 1995-96 budget to correct inequities within all departments, plus additional funds to conduct a salary survey next year to determine each job's market value.
"Our pay system for our employees has been broken," Hodge said. "It's time we fix it."
Details of Hodge's plan, developed by a committee of county employees that included two police officers, have not been made public. The issue of whether salaries are competitive with neighboring localities would be addressed later.
"It may not satisfy all the people in the Police Department and it may not avoid the lawsuit, but I feel we will have gotten off to a very good start," Hodge said.
In addition to employee benefits, the board raised questions about costs associated with purchasing new voting machines, expanding the local jail vs. participating in a regional facility, and 911 upgrades.
A public hearing on the budget has been set for 7 p.m. May 23 at the county administration building.
by CNB