John Scarffe, Gilpin County.  The Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners received a contract for an energy impact assistance grant for an asbestos study and exterior repair of the Gilpin County Courthouse during a regular meeting on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, at the Courthouse. The Board also studied requests for an employee merit increase and to fill a tax representative position.

County Manager Roger Baker said an energy impact assistance grant seems remarkably similar to a gaming impact grant, for which the County applies annually. The energy grant would provide an indirect distribution of $26,704 for programs that are energy related, and the County’s match would be $26,704.

The grant would fund $2,500 with a $2,500 County match for asbestos study consulting services totaling $5,000 and $24,204 with an equal County match for construction and improvement of public utilities and exterior repairs at the Courthouse, according to the grant contract. The final outcome will be exterior repairs of the Courthouse and parking lot and a completed asbestos study of the interior to protect the integrity of the facility.

Baker said he is glad the County applied for the grant at this time. Pending legislation will limit such grants to those who already receive $20,000 a year.

“If that is the case, we would no longer be eligible for this grant. We have historically been impacted and this has been important in the past.” The Board approved the contract.

At both the March 8 and March 22 meetings, Finance Director Clorinda Smith and Human Resources Manager Susie Allen presented a proposal for County employee merit pay increases. At the March 8 meeting, the Board approved merit increases based on performance up to 3 percent effective July2, 2016, and reflected on the July 22 paycheck.

Excluded from the increase will be elected officials, property tax work participants, contract or temporary employees, those hired in 2016 and those over the maximum for their pay range, according to a memorandum from Smith and Allen. An evaluation would be required for all employees, to be submitted by June 1.

Historically, an employee’s evaluation date was based on the date they were hired, according to the memo. This would change the evaluation date to July 2.

Allen told the Board that employee evaluations once a year might be hard for some departments and Human Resources needed time to review them. Board Chair Linda Isenhart responded: “Let’s not have evaluations be late. Supervisors should get them in and employees shouldn’t be penalized.”

Commissioner Gail Watson said that 13 employees were allowed to go over the salary limit for their positions. “We want to encourage long-term employees.” Watson said Denver has a program in which employees receive a 1 percent lump sum payment.

“They will not receive an increase in base pay,” Watson said. “If the county continues to give merit increases every year, the employee will receive a one-time lump payment. It’s not an increase to their salary but allows the county to offer long-term employees an incentive. We run the risk of losing long-term employees.”

Allen said under the merit proposal employees can get “maxed out,” but explained that’s not what she is seeing during separation interviews. Watson said she thought it was worth looking into this. “How would it work for our County?”

Commissioner Buddy Schmalz said that if the County did merit raises every year, people would reach that maximum pretty quickly. “You’re going to end up with a perpetual problem. You go over the ceiling pretty quickly.

“When we first started talking about this it seemed pretty simple, but now we’re opening a Pandora’s Box with all the details.” Watson said, though, that she felt comfortable moving forward.

The Board approved the merit increase but asked that Smith and Allen return at the next meeting with increase options for Parks and Recreational employees and alternatives for higher compensated employees. At the March 22 meeting, the two returned with proposals for both items.

Instructors and sports officials would not be eligible for a merit increase, Smith and Allen said. These positions already have tiered pay scales in place, and their pay reflects the training and years of experience they bring to their positions.

For employees at the maximum of their pay grade, the proposal contained two options. The first would be to do nothing. Once an employee is at the maximum of their pay grade, the employee remains at the maximum until a salary survey is done, which might increase the maximum of the range or bump their position into a higher grade.

An exception would be granted for employees allowed to go over the maximum in January 2016 with a 75 cent increase. After researching other area organizations, they proposed a second option of a lump sum payment.

A “Top out Check” could be paid in full on the same day merit increases go into effect. Payment would be 50 percent of the merit increase they would have received.

Baker proposed a one percent increase for highly compensated employees. “It seemed to be natural according to the nature of the work.”

Commissioner Watson agreed with option one and suggested the County limit the increase this year and do a salary survey next year. “Everyone around us uses a survey. Next year we’ll have a little more information.”

Schmalz said: “My concern is we’ve been making some adjustments over the past years. I think we’re solving a lot of this by adjusting the two or three that we have. Once we had to make changes because we were having difficulty filling positions.

“Surveys are a long process and it takes up a lot of time. I think it’s up to the Department but we’re solving a lot of it. I’m okay with it.” The Board approved the first option.

County Treasurer and Public Trustee Alynn Huffman requested filling the position of tax representative. The full-time position would fall in the pay range of $16.33 to $23.68 per hour.

The employee would perform a variety of clerical duties to assist the public in the payment of property taxes. The person also would respond to inquiries of taxpayers regarding their taxes and perform tax lien sales, certificates of taxes due and administer treasurer’s deeds and redemptions.

Huffman said the office is very, very short staffed. “It will all come back on the County if it’s not handled correctly. Everyone’s job is tied into everyone else’s. In my office that’s terribly important because we handle all of the County’s money.”

Chair Isenhart pointed out that the position is already in the budget. “I didn’t see any red flags. I think we need it.”

The Board approved the position. The next meeting of the Gilpin County Board of Commissioners will be on Tuesday, April 12, at 9 a.m. at the Gilpin County Courthouse, 203 Eureka Street, Central City.