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Morgan corrections hiring raises questions
(The Decatur Daily (AL) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jun. 22--A government job plus benefits equals security and could be the dream of many seeking employment.
Morgan County has jobs up to $80,000 per year plus benefits. Most jobs do not require college degrees.
To get one of the government jobs, an applicant must go through a process designed to ensure equal opportunity employment.
Elected officials' annual salaries range from $69,000 to $91,000.
"These are good, solid jobs," Human Resources Director Terry Naccarato said of the merit system county positions. "And, that's why it's extremely important to follow personnel policy."
Naccarato explained that when the county has a vacancy, employees get to apply for the job first.
"We give a copy of the job description to every department head, and we post it in all county facilities before sending it out to the Alabama Employment Service for public applications," he said.
All departments are to follow the same hiring procedures; however, that did not happen recently in community corrections when a case manager job was not offered internally.
Merit system
County Commission Chairman John Glasscock, who also chairs the Community Corrections and Court Services Commission, said he doesn't think employees hired under the director are merit system jobs.
"I thought they worked at the pleasure of the corrections board," Glasscock said.
There's nothing in writing to back Glasscock's belief.
"It should be reflected in the minutes of a meeting," he said.
Minutes of meetings when the program started almost two years ago show that two employees were hired with county pay and benefits under the former director.
The board approved the hirings and the employees completed probationary periods in compliance with personnel policy.
Glasscock referred all questions about corrections employees to Naccarato, who said Glasscock told him that the program's director, Kim Thurston, would handle the hiring for her department.
Thurston hired a case manager from Hartselle in April. Naccarato said Thurston told him she did not want the job posted for the three-day period internally.
Opportunity
Some courthouse employees told The Daily they were troubled by that because they should have had an opportunity to apply for the job.
Thurston understands that she works at the pleasure of the corrections commission, but agreed that employees under her are in the merit system. Thurston said because board members told her she could hire employees at her discretion, she thought it was OK to bypass the internal posting.
Thurston also promoted an employee who did not make it through the six-month probation period and she dismissed him. Now, his job is vacant. She said she will follow county policy by advertising internally first.
"I don't have a problem following the process," said Thurston.
Government agencies that get federal funding must follow guidelines in hiring practices.
"By federal law we're required to post the jobs as an equal opportunity employer," said Naccarato.
"It gives people a sense of fairness and balance."
Although community corrections is a branch of the judicial system that gives judges an alternative to sending offenders to jail, county tax dollars finance the program.
Other monies come from the state Department of Corrections and fees collected from participants in the program.
Policies
State jobs within the county judicial system have policy dictates to follow also. The circuit clerk's office is under state employment.
Employees in that office must take examinations. If they pass, their names go on a register for hiring, according to the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts.
Job openings are posted on a state Web site and at public facilities.
Morgan County Circuit Clerk John Pat Orr, who is a member of the corrections commission, may hire temporary help without going to the state register.
But for permanent positions he must select candidates from the register.
After being on the job three months, Morgan employees are eligible for benefits, which include health and life insurance, sick and annual leave.
They obtain permanent employment status if they successfully complete the six-month probationary period. After that time, any disciplinary action against an employee may be appealed to the county's personnel review board.
The county has 466 employees and 122 are from Hartselle. Seven of the county's 14 elected officials are from Hartselle.
Morgan County salaries
Job Title Yearly min. Yearly max.
Accounting clerk, MCATS, Aging $28,516.80 $37,211.20
Accounts payable officer, Commission 33,196.80 43,305.60
Administrative Clerk, Sheriff's office 21,507.20 28,017.60
Administrative Assistant, District
and MCATS 23,836.80 31,137.60
Administrative Assistant, License
Commission 28,516.80 37,211.20
Administrative Assistant, Board
of Registrars 19,177.60 25,001.60
Advanced data entry clerk,
License Commission 21,507.20 28,017.60
Animal Control officer 23,836.80 31,137.60
Animal Control supervisor 28,516.80 37,211.20
Archivist 35,526.40 46,363.20
Assistant Clerk, Revenue and License 19,177.60 25,001.60
Assistant County Engineer 61,568 80,329.60
Assistant Building Supervisor,
Maintenance 28,516.80 37,211.20
Assistant Director, COA and MCATS 28,516.80 37,211.20
Assistant Director, EMA 35,526.40 46,363.20
Athletic Director, Parks and Recreation 21,507.20 28,017.60
Auto/Truck Mechanic, Environmental
Services 28,516.80 37,211.20
Bookkeeper, Revenue 23,836.80 31,137.60
Building Supervisor, Maintenance 44,907.20 58,572.80
Data Entry Clerk 19,177.60 25,001.60
Data Entry/Customer Service 21,507.20 28,017.60
Deputy County Administrator 61,568 80,329.60
Deputy Chief Clerk Probate 26,187.20 34,153.60
Deputy Commissioner of License 33,196.80 43,305.60
Deputy Director EMA 35,526.40 46,363.20
Deputy Revenue Commissioner 40,227.20 52,478.40
Deputy Sheriff 26,187.20 34,153.60
Deputy Sheriff DARE 28,516.80 37,211.20
Deputy Sheriff Task 26,187.20 34,153.60
Deputy Sheriff Investigations 28,516.80 37,211.20
Deputy Chief Jailer 30,867.20 40,268.80
Dispatcher/Telephone Supervisor 28,516.80 37,211.20
Director -- CITS 49,587.20 64,688
Director -- COA 35,526.40 46,363.20
Director -- EMA 42,556.80 55,536
Director -- Parks and Recreation 33,196.80 43,305.60
Dispatcher/Driver Aging/MCATS 19,177.60 25,001.60
Driver Aging/MCATS 19,177.60 25,001.60
Driver Environmental Services 21,507.20 28,017.60
Emergency Planner EMA 30,867.20 40,268.80
Engineer Aide I 23,836.80 31,137.60
Engineer Aide II 28,516.80 37,211.20
Equipment Operator I 23,836.80 31,137.60
Equipment Operator II 28,516.80 37,211.20
Equipment Operator III 30,867.20 40,268.80
Governmental Accountant 54,246.40 70,782.40
Groundskeeper (Shops) 23,836.80 31,137.60
Highway District Foreman 40,227.20 52,478.40
Human Resources Director 54,246.40 70,782.40
Human Resources Generalist 33,196.80 43,305.60
Law Librarian 21,507.20 28,017.60
License Inspection Supervisor 33,196.80 43,305.60
License Inspector 26,187.20 34,153.60
Lieutenant/Chief Jailer 35,526.40 46,363.20
Lieutenant Investigation 37,606.40 49,108.80
Lieutenant Patrol 39,686.40 51,792
Litter Control Officer 41,766.40 54,516.80
Maintenance Worker 26,187.20 34,153.60
Major 40,227.20 52,478.40
Mapper I 23,836.80 31,137.60
Mapper II 30,867.20 40,268.80
Mapper III 37,897.60 49,441.60
Mechanic 28,516.80 37,211.20
Outreach Coordinator 19,177.60 25,001.60
Operations Manager Environmental
Services 33,196.80 43,305.60
Payroll/Benefits Officer 33,196.80 43,305.60
Personal Property Appraisal Clerk
Reappraisal 19,177.60 25,001.60
Personal Property Appraiser I 23,386.80 31,137.60
Personal Property Appraiser II 30,867.20 40,268.80
Personal Property Appraiser III 37,897.60 49,441.60
Probate Clerk 21,507.20 28,017.60
Process Server (Sheriff) 19,177.60 25,001.60
Programmer/Operator 21,507.20 28,017.60
Programmer/Operator I 28,516.80 37,211.20
Programmer/Operator II 33,196.80 43,305.60
Real Property Appraisal Clerk 19,177.60 25,001.60
Real Property Appraiser I 23,836.80 31,137.60
Real Property Appraiser II 30,867.20 40,268.80
Real Property Appraiser III 37,897.60 49,441.60
Receptionist 16,889.60 22,048
Receptionist Aging/MCATS 16,889.60 22,048
Recycling Coordinator 33,198.80 43,305.60
Residential Truck Driver/Collector 21,507.20 28,017.60
Route Coordinator 23,836.80 31,137.60
Route Supervisor 28,516.80 37,211.20
Sales Tax office Supervisor 23,836.80 31,137.60
Secretary 28,516.80 37,211.20
Secretary -- Sheriff 21,507.20 28,017.60
Sgt. Administrative Support 33,196.80 43,305.60
Sgt. Detention Supervisor 28,516.80 37,211.20
Sgt. Drug Task Force 33,196.80 43,305.60
Sgt. Investigations 33,196.80 43,305.60
Sgt. Patrol 33,196.80 43,305.60
Shop Supervisor 33,196.80 43,305.60
Solid Waste Manager 35,526.40 46,363.20
Senior Assessment Clerk 30,867.20 40,268.80
Switchboard Operator 16,889.60 22,048
Telecommunicator 21,507.20 28,017.60
Morgan employment benefits
These are benefits afforded county employees:
Vacation: Fourteen paid holidays and one personal day.
Health care: Blue cross/Blue Shield health insurance with the county paying $10,572 for family coverage and $4,080 for individual coverage.
Life insurance: The county pays $91.20 per employee.
Retirement: For every dollar of a 5 percent employee contribution, the county pays $1.52.
Annual leave: Employees accrue 104 to 208 hours per year.
Sick leave: Employees accrue 72 hours per year.
Source: Morgan County Human Resources
To see more of The Decatur Daily, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.decaturdaily.com
Copyright (c) 2008, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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