Panel mulls requests from ORT, judges

Group takes no action on salary increase, personnel

FAYETTEVILLE — Public transit again got a cold shoulder Thursday from the Washington County Quorum Court’s Finance and Budget Committee, and it doesn’t appear circuit judges will get everything on their wish lists either.

“We have, basically, at this point said that we are not giving any raises or adding any new positions unless we can come up with the revenue to do it,” said Ann Harbison, who’s leading the budget process this year. “We’re going to hold our carryover at $3 million.”

Joel Gardner, executive director of Ozark Regional Transit, was back to answer several questions generated from his last appearance before justices of the peace. Gardner is seeking more money for the transit service from the local governments that partially fund ORT in order to retain drivers, mechanics and other employees once they’re trained and qualified. Drivers for ORT are paid $10.50 per hour, and Gardner said he needs to increase that by at least $3 an hour and is asking local governments to support a plan to reach the goal over three years.

Gardner said transit drivers are leaving to drive trucks hauling rocks and dirt because they’re paid more. He told the justices of the peace ORT pays for drivers to obtain their commercial driver’s license and asks they stay at least six months before leaving.

Washington County is paying the transit service $22,970, and the first-year increase to support the higher hourly wage would be $5,777.

Patrick Deakins of District 5 said he couldn’t justify ORT’s request, based on the low number of people using it. Washington County has cut its money for transit several times in recent years.

“My whole district is unincorporated, for the most part, and it’s hard for me to go back and sell this to the citizens of my district,” Deakins said.

The discussion led Gardner to question whether the county wants to be part of the regional transit authority any longer.

“The question is no longer would you give money,

the question is do you even want to have a transit system for the rural people of Washington County,” Gardner said. “If you don’t, let me know, because I can take those assets, those personnel, and I can put them out to other areas.”

The committee took no action on ORT’s request Thursday.

“That’s a decision we need to discuss later, our transit,” said Harbison who represents District 14 in southern Washington County.

Last week, Gardner asked Benton County to increase its budget for Ozark Regional Transit from $20,000 to $32,500.

The committee tentatively approved several budgets for circuit courts, including about $1.2 million for juvenile

courts, but took no action on new personnel requests or salary increases Thursday. Judges are trying to move some technology purchases to a court automation fund, where allowable.

“The first thing on the agenda is that we would like for you to move your new positions and, if we have funding at the end of the budget process, then those positions will be funded,” Harbison said. “But, we need to get our reserves to $3 million and to do that we have to say no raises and no new positions.”

Blair Johanson with the Johanson Group, a Fayetteville-based

management consulting firm, said pay comparisons show county employees are paid below the most recent figures for the national, state and regional averages.

Johanson told justices of the peace he would recommend a 4% pay increase for employees, not including employees in the Sheriff’s Office who are on a step-pay plan and some employees who are already at their maximum pay.

The cost to the county for 2020 would be $778,683, Johanson said. He said that cost could be offset from about $700,000 in savings the county should see this year through employees at higher pay grades leaving and being replaced by people in lower pay grades.