Harrison? County money issue squared away

By KAY SEDGMER, Times Leader Staff Writer
  CADIZ -- A miscue in appropriations was rectified Wednesday morning when Harrison County Prosecutor T. Shawn Hervey addressed county leaders.


  Hervey said money to pay Assistant Prosecutor Rhonda Greenwood was not placed in the correct line item of his budget and needed to be appropriated into the correct fund.


  Greenwood serves as legal counsel for the county Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) and is also contracted with the local Department of Job and Family Services; Children Services agency. Her salary is derived through grant funds. However, she is paid through the general budget which is then reimbursed after the grant funding is returned to the county.


  “She also does some employee legal work for the county,” Hervey noted. “But most of her pay is actually returned to the county’s general fund but it was going into the wrong line item. We have a deal with Children Services for the reimbursement to the general fund.”


  He said the agreement has been in place for the past 10 years and has already been appropriated.


   The cost for the employee’s salary breaks down to $29,000 for salary, about $3,682 for PERS, $598 for workers compensation, $434 for Medicare and $2,764 for hospitalization.


   To clarify the request, which does not provide any additional money to the prosecutor’s office, Hervey provided the commissioners with a copy of his initial budget which was approved by the board last year.


  Commissioners approved the increase in appropriations after a brief discussion.


   In other business, Rural Transit Director Karen Couch took time to clarify what she described as a “rumor.”


   “I want to make it clear that the employees at Rural Transit did not receive a bonus last year,” she said. “Our board did approve a safety bonus for the employees.”


   She went on to say that the extra money wasn’t just given and each employee didn’t receive the same amount.


  “Some may have received up to $1,000.” she noted. “Others may have received a prorated amount depending on when they began employment or if they had had an accident.”


  In addition, she said she didn’t believe the public knew about the work being done through Rural Transit.


  “We have employees who are up and on the road by 4:30 a.m. to transport Harrison County resident,” Couch said. “We are there rain, snow, or whatever.”


She then invited the public to attend the Rural Transit board meeting held the third Wednesday monthly at 3 p.m. at the office on North Main Street Extension.


  “I hope you can make it,” she said. “We will be glad to answer any questions then.”


Commissioners held to brief executive sessions to discuss personnel. The first was with Hervey while the second gathering was with Linda Patterson, director of the Family and Children First Council. No action was taken in either session.


   board appointed Mark Westlake and William Yost to four-year terms with the county Airport Authority and also passed a resolution to apply for Community Development Block Grant Funds.


  Sedgmer may be reached at ksedgmer@timesleaderonline.com