Nov. 25, 2019

The Gasconade County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel at the Courthouse beginning with Pledge of Allegiance.

SALARY COMMISSION

Commission was present today serving as members of the Salary Commission along with Lesa Lietzow, County Clerk, Mary Weston, Prosecuting Attorney, Shawn Schlottach, Collector, John Romanus, Sheriff, Mike Feagan, Treasurer, Fay Owsley, Public Administrator, Paul Schulte, Assessor and Pam Greunke, Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds; Ben Grosse, Coroner was absent.

Temporary Chairperson Greunke brought the meeting to order with the purpose being to determine the compensation to be paid to each county officer to be elected at the next general election in accordance with the law. She then asked for a nomination to appoint a permanent chairperson from among the group; Commissioner Lairmore nominated Prosecuter Weston, Assessor Schulte seconded the motion, vote was unanimous in support.

Chair Weston asked Clerk Lietzow for a report on the financial condition of the county; she distributed her report and Treasurer Feagan distributed the sale tax and bank account balance information. Clerk Lietzow reviewed the actual numbers for 2018, the projections for 2019 and further ahead for 2020; with basically only one month of revenue and expenses outstanding, revenue looks to be less than expected, but thankfully, so do expenses. Ending 2019 by $120,000 less than beginning, will be a significant setback to starting 2020, which has the added expense of paying for two elections. She then detailed the current salaries of all elected officials and indicated the positions for election in 2020 as: two Associate Commissioners’, Sheriff, Coroner, Public Administrator and Assessor; she indicated the 2019 assessed valuation was $249,246,862 which was short of crossing the $249,999,999 threshold.

In discussing the numbers presented, particularly the reduction in sales tax, Commissioner Lairmore wonders why, when both Cities of Hermann and Owensville collections are up; everyone acknowledges the inevitable decrease due to online purchases made by many rather than in‑county at the brick and mortar stores. Assessor Schulte thought the extended flooding in the City of Hermann this year had to impact tourism, plus businesses closing. Missouri Association of Counties will be fighting for counties in the upcoming legislative session, but the usetax ruling by the Supreme Court will likely have to be settled county by county. Commission has unsuccessfully attempted six times to pass the usetax, and will likely consider trying again at some point to capture that loss in revenue; they struggle with how to present it to voters to understand that it only applies to internet purchases that exceed $2,000 per year. All elected officials struggle to continue providing all services to everyone that they are used to, but there may come the day, when funding may cause those services to be cut, which no one wants. Collector Schlottach said there is a slight upturn in property tax collections with re‑assessment, but not significant; Sheriff Romanus said Governor’s office wants prisoner board paid to counties that is owed. Clerk Greunke was ordered by Presiding Judge to write off the cost owed the county by the Department of Corrections (DOC), but then she can add it back on and try to collect from defendants. Sheriff Romanus is not able to hold as many people in jail and DOC also is letting out non‑violent offenders.

There were two options open for discussion regarding salary; new legislation had passed August 2018 that allowed for an increase in pay of up to $2,000 for each county official over the compensation in the salary schedules, except the Sheriff was up to $6,000 over salary schedule. As explained by Chair Weston, the $2,000, or $6,000, increase would be in the base pay and start at the beginning of the new term of each elected official, either in 2021 or 2023, depending on the election cycle, thus becoming the new base pay. There is also the option of giving COLA raises; Chair Weston explained that the COLA raise amount would not be set at this time, but would be set in January when Commissioners’ determine raises given to employees’, then this amount could be an equal percentage raise.

Discussion about raises was prompted by the fact that there are some long‑serving county employees’ that are now making more money than full‑time elected officials. While no one begrudges the employees’, in fact it has been encouraged, the responsibility and liability that goes along with being an elected official should be considered, too. While employees’ are usually given a raise every year, sometimes more significant than other years, currently serving elected officials have never voted themselves an actual raise. The only increases in pay elected officials have ever received were when there was new legislation as in 1997 or when the assessed valuation reached a new threshold as in 2007. Collector Schlottach and Clerk Lietzow pointed these facts out for the record as they are the longest‑serving full‑time elected officials; Presiding Commissioner Miskel agrees completely and supports it if the budget can support it. Commissioner Holland doesn’t see how the subject can even be discussed after the financial condition presented today and that is how the voters are going to look at it. Chair Weston said technically it isn’t taking a raise, just complying with the new law enacted; Clerk Lietzow agreed that technically, the assessed value incremental increase that happens occasionally isn’t considered a raise either, it is statutorily allowed without a vote by the salary commission. County government seems to be the only entity where the cost of doing business and providing a service increases, with no allowance for an increase in pay for the elected officials.

Due to the new legislation in 2018, and today being the first time meeting since, if the elected officials want to remain at 100 percent of the maximum allowable compensation, there must be a vote today. If no vote is taken today, each elected official will be at a varied percentage less than 100, i.e.: 93 percent or 88 percent or 98 percent, etc. Also, it was noted, that until reaching 100 percent, there cannot be a COLA raise given.

After much discussion, a motion was made by Collector Schlottach as follows which was taken directly from RSMo 50.333.8: The salary commission for Gasconade County hereby certifies that it has met pursuant to law to establish compensation for county officers to be paid to such officers during the next term of office for the officers affected. The salary commission reports that there shall be county officer’s salaries set at 100 percent of the maximum allowable compensation. Motion was seconded by Clerk Lietzow with the following voice vote on record:

Larry Miskel, Presiding Commissioner (Yes),

Jerry Lairmore, Associate Commissioner (No),

Jim Holland, Associate Commissioner (No),

Lesa Lietzow, County Clerk (Yes),

Shawn Schlottach, Collector (Yes),

Mike Feagan, Treasurer (Yes),

John Romanus, Sheriff (Abstain),

Paul Schulte, Assessor (Yes),

Mary Weston, Prosecuting Attorney (Yes),

Fay Owsley, Public Administrator (Yes),

Motion passed with seven yes, two no, one abstain and that concludes the salary commission meeting.

ADJOURN

Commissioner Jerry Lairmore made a motion to adjourn commission until Dec. 5, 2019. Commissioner Jim Holland seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned.