The Shasta County Board of Supervisors will respond to a grand jury report that said elected county officials should not receive loyalty bonuses that could cost more than $250,000.
The report from the Shasta County grand jury, released April 19, found that the omission of the word "appointed" in a staff recommendation from 2008 allowed elected county officials to receive longevity bonuses for their work.
The report states the omission could cost the county taxpayers $260,000 from 2009, when the resolution was adopted, through 2023. If supervisors choose not to change the resolution, then the longevity stipends, or bonuses, would continue indefinitely.
The 5 percent bonus goes to appointed employees who work at least 20 years and is incentive to keep skilled staff in Shasta County.
Supervisors will consider on Tuesday if the resolution requires amending to include the missing word, and if elected department heads should continue to receive the bonus.
The grand jury report recommends the board rewrites the resolution to remove elected officials from receiving the benefit and suggests all stipends for elected officials end at the conclusion of their terms in office or Dec. 31, 2018, whichever comes first.
Supervisors could set a timeline for implementing the recommendations from the grand jury or if the report requires further analysis.
This list of officials named in the report includes Sheriff Tom Bosenko, Treasurer Lori Scott, Assessor Dolores Leslie Morgan, County Clerk Catherine Darling Allen and Supervisor David Kehoe.
According to Angela Davis, director of Support Services, Kehoe is not eligible to receive longevity stipends, because supervisors establish their compensation by ordinance. County Executive Officer Larry Lees echoed the exclusion of supervisors.
In 2015 when Scott sought her retroactive bonus money, the board of supervisors found that elected officials were not excluded from the bonus.
The issue divided the board when it decided to give the longevity stipends to Bosenko and Scott. The board voted 2-3 to remove elected officials. Supervisor Les Baugh, Bill Schappell and Pam Giacomini voted against terminating the stipend for elected officials. Kehoe and Leonard Moty voted to remove elected officials from the benefit.
May 8, 2016
Redding Record Searchlight
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