FARMINGTON – New hires and fine-tuning the personnel policy topped a short meeting agenda for Franklin County commissioners Tuesday.

Commissioners unanimously approved the hiring of David Rackliffe of Weld as a full-time permanent patrol deputy for the Sheriff’s Department, pending Rackliffe’s polygraph and background check results.

He will replace Brent Howard who going to work for a Portland security firm but will remain on the roster as a reserve office, Sheriff Dennis Pike said.

A veteran reserve office with the county, Rackliffe has been filling in full-time as a patrol deputy since early this year to help offset a shortage of deputies at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department. He also works for LifeStar Ambulance service.

“He helped see us through a difficult time, which we are still basically having,” Pike noted. The recent hiring of Rackliffe combined with last month’s hiring of deputy Aaron Turcotte means the department is just one deputy short.

Deputy Ken Charles is expected to return from his active duty with the military in the Middle East sometime this year, Pike said, which will bring the department up to its normal staffing levels.

Commissioners also collectively approved the appointment of Stanley Wilcox, 21, of Phillips as a part-time dispatcher. In addition to his work for the county, Wilcox also works for AMPS ambulance service.

Policy changes

Several changes were also made to the county’s personnel policy, which in many cases made benefits for non-union employees equal to those of union employees. County Clerk Julie Magoon expressed concern that discrepancies in the policy were unfair.

Commissioners agreed to tack on three additional vacation hours to be accrued each month for non-union employees with over 20 years of service to the county.

The old policy stated that any county employee with over 15 years service could accrue 16 hours of vacation time per month, however, Magoon said those with over 20 years of service should be rewarded for their longevity. The new union contract gives 20-year plus unionized county employees 19 hours per month.

“It rewards those with seniority,” Magoon said. “I just think it’s “being fair across the board to all of our employees.” The change will impact only two county workers, with one or two additional employees nearing 20-plus years of service, Magoon told commissioners, adding that the three hours per month increase would add up to be an extra week of vacation time per year.

Initially, commissioner Gary McGrane of Jay was skeptical about the additional hours being granted, saying the county had already made monetary adjustments to put employees with more than 20 years service higher on the pay scale. But in the end, commissioners were unanimous in their vote to approve the change.

There was also considerable discussion on another possible policy change that would level the playing field for union and non-union employees.

When a non-union employee switches positions within the county, their previous years with the county are not counted meaning they can actually drop down the pay scale.

It hasn’t always been that way, said Magoon, who said the county’s recent pay study caused the change because those surveyed were asked how long they had been in their current position, and not how long had they been with the county.

Union employees however do get recognized for all their years of service with the county, and not just in their current position.

That’s not fair, said Magoon and others working for the county.

It’s “demoralizing,” said chief deputy Ray Meldrum in a letter addressed to commissioners in which he also stated he felt people were being discriminated against for not unionizing.

Commissioner McGrane questioned why there was the assumption that the details of a ratified union contract should apply to non-union workers, a sentiment commissioner Fred Hardy of New Sharon concurred with.

But, said Hardy, it’s a fairness issue, and one that should be addressed.

Although no action was taken, Magoon told commissioners that in the upcoming county budget process, which begins in October, department heads may request salaries for non-union employees to include all their years of service.

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