3 Feb 2014 Stennis Salary Survey

3 Feb 2014: Board of Supervisors’ Meeting @ 5p

 

Thank you for your appointment this evening.

 

In Jun 2013 the Board of Supervisors authorized a salary survey through the Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development at Mississippi State University.  (Resolution found in Book 158 beginning on page 470)  This salary survey cost $11,000.00.

 

This survey was to be completed in time to be used in the 2013-2014 budgeting process.  The printed report is dated November 26, 2013.  Perhaps preprint information was provided to the former County Administrator.  We don’t know.  What we do know is this information was not reflected in the 2013-2014 Tunica County Budget.

 

For the work to begin on this project, the former County Administrator was to provide “a list of all Tunica County employees that includes first and last name, department, job title, current salary and length of employment with the county; and copies of any pay scales or compensation plans currently used by the county.”

 

The final report does not include the names of individual employees which makes parts of the charts difficult to use.  However, we were able to glean important facts from the dialog and the charts.

 

Here is what we found:

 

1. Page 1: “In 2000, Stennis Institute of Government conducted Tunica County’s first salary survey, establishing compensation levels for the described jobs, and developing a wage and salary scale utilizing employment grade and steps within grades.”  Oh, really?  Then how is it that when the Transparency Committee asked for this information, including job descriptions, we were told they didn’t exist?

 

2. Not all employees were included.  Under Administration, the former County Administrator left out: himself, Jason Lloyd and John Pickett, III.  All of the AOP and Youth Services were omitted.    We did find one entry that could possibly be attributed to a Youth Court Counselor.  We may have missed something and are open to correction.

 

3. Page 26: “Caddo Parish, LA with a population of 254,969 has 30 more employees than Tunica County.”  Note: Caddo Parish also has casino gambling.

 

4. Page 27: Since 2000, Tunica County salaries have doubled.

 

5. “The Sheriff and Parks and Recreation, and Clinics account for the largest salary expenses.”

 

6. Page 36: “As a whole the Sheriff(‘s) Department salaries exceed the state mean.”

 

7. Page 44: “At present there are 15 positions earning less than the survey salary mean.  Deficits for these positions range from 47% to 11%.  Dollar amounts vary from -$28,408 to -$2,638.  There are 43 positions earning more than the survey mean.  Excesses for these positions range from 104% to 162%.  Dollar amounts vary from $1,616 to $40,487.  The remaining positions fall with 90% to 104% of the survey salary mean.”

 

Note: We found an error in this reporting.  In the sentences “Excesses for these positions range from 104% to 162%.  Dollar amounts vary from $1,616 to $40,487.”  This last number should be $66,143.  This figure of $66,143 corresponds with 152%.  Further comment: The Health Administrator is 162% or $40,487 over the mean for this survey.  The Physician that is paid $192,022 is 152% or $66,143 over the mean for this survey.

 

On pages 69 and 70 of the Survey there is a list of the above information and the corresponding jobs.  A copy of these pages is included with this report.

8. Page 44: “In closing, given its size and in comparison to similar counties, Tunica County appears to be overstaffed.”

 We have included with this report a copy of a presentation this Committee made to you 1 Apr 2013. The salary of the Health Administrator continues to be a problem.  This survey shows that the last Health Administrator was overpaid and now according to this survey, the current Health Administrator is overpaid.  This is a problem of this Board’s own making.  We have a resident in Tunica County who is qualified for the Health Administrator’s position but somehow, he wasn’t considered.  Please think about revisiting this situation and making the corrections.

 

As this survey shows, we are not going to gain much money by cutting hourly wages.  More money is going to be gained by cutting from the top.  Department heads need to take a look at this survey and realize that many of you are being overpaid.  Nobody likes to take a cut in pay.  We are asking that Department heads work with this Board, the Comptroller and County Administrator until we are out of the present financial fix.

Attachments:

I: The survey chart of salaries pages 69 and 70 are not on the blog.  You may get a copy from your Supervisor.

II. 

1 Apr 2013: Board of Supervisors’ Meeting @ 9a

Our Committee asked for an appointment with you today in an attempt to correct your minutes in the Public Record Book #155 on page 489 and to open a conversation with the Board of Supervisors surrounding the hiring of the CEO at the Tunica County Healthcare Authority and the possibility of hiring a Human Resource Manager.

Attached to our report are the following:

1. A photocopy of the above referenced page.
2. One Freedom of Information letter dated 1 Mar 2013 and addressed to the Tunica County Healthcare Authority requesting:
1. Total number of applicants who applied for the CEO position.
2. Total number of interviews granted for this position.
3. Total number of applicants who both applied and are residents of Tunica County.
4. Total number of interviews granted for applicants who also live in Tunica County.
3. Copies of email correspondence between Dr. Osborn and myself in response to the Freedom of Information letter.

The first thing you will notice from the Public Record of your minutes is that 53 applications were received and 12 of these applicants received telephone interviews.  From the telephone interviews, three of the 12 applicants were granted face-to-face interviews.

Next, take a look at the email conversation between Dr. Osborn and myself as a result of the Freedom of Information letter our Committee sent to Tunica County Healthcare Authority.

Here is a recap of the email information:

Dr. Osborn: “In response to your request, 50 applications for the CEO position were received.  Of those 50, initial telephone interviews were conducted with 14.  In person interviews were conducted with three finalists.

There were no applications received from individuals living in Tunica County.  Therefore, no interviews were granted to individuals living in Tunica County.”

Barbara Tuchel: “Thx for your quick response.  Would you please recheck one more time about there being no application from anyone in Tunica County.  A long time Tunica County resident is saying he/she submitted an application and was not interviewed by phone or in person.”

Dr. Osborn: “Of the fifty applications submitted to me, none were residents of Tunica County.”

It is this Committee’s understanding that an application for this position was given to the County Administrator and a copy of the applicant’s resume was placed in every Supervisor’s mailbox.

What happened?

Secondly, it is our understanding that the new CEO was hired with a salary of $105K.  This amount is the approximate salary of Dr. Osborn who has been a Tunica County employee for quite some time.  When the Board of Supervisors replaced the Road Manager the difference in salaries between the former and the present was approximately $30K.  (Billy Watson was making $110K and Joe Eddie Hawkins is making $80.)  So, historically this is the pattern you have set for new hires.  Why was this position handled differently?

Using the above reporting as an example, it has become apparent that Tunica County is in need of a Human Resource Manager.  Hopefully, you will consider this position a priority and will ensure this person reports directly to the Board of Supervisors.