County approves contract with Fraternal Order of Police

Sheriff Keith Kellerman said that after employees have worked for 14 months without a contract, an agreement has been reached with the Fraternal Order of Police.

The last contract expired in November 2011. The new contract is for four years. All 34 employees covered by the contract will receive a $.25 per hour raise the first year.

Sheriff Kellerman said each employee will receive $525 in back pay for the previous year, approximately $17,850.

For the first time in Perry County history, a bargaining unit has agreed to use the Consumer Price Index to determine the raises for the final three years of the contract. Employees will receive no less than one percent and no more than three percent raises, depending upon the Consumer Price Index for the previous year.

The only other change was to give a $.30 per hour shift-differential for night-shift employees.

In other business, the board:

• authorized Chairman Bobby Kelly to approve a Class A liquor license for W. Equine Escape Ltd. doing business as The W, after confirming that the previous business at that location has vacated the premises and after the county receives a copy of the dram shop insurance for The W. There are only two Class A liquor licenses available in the county at this time. State's Attorney David Stanton said that after studying the liquor ordinance, he determined that each license is specific to the person or persons to whom it was issued and the location of the establishment. If either of those changes, the license is void. Square One Restaurant had leased the space that The W plans to occupy. Square One was a Class A liquor license holder. The license will be void when the restaurant moves. The owners must re-apply. The County Board can amend the ordinance to allow more Class A liquor license holders at any time and indicated they would do so if another restaurant opened.

• heard from County Engineer Brian Otten that he plans to vacate Buckeye Road and hopes to vacate an unnamed road north of Charlotte Hills to the owner of the property to the north. The owner attended the public hearing about vacating the land and said he uses it to access his property. If vacating it is not possible. Otten said he would begin maintaining that road. The reason for vacating both roads is to limit the County's liability because neither is maintained at this time.

• heard from Commissioner Sam Robb that residents have noticed loaded truck driving on Reese Hill Road to get from County Line Road to Route 150 and tearing up the surface. Heavy trucks are not allowed on the road. Both Otten and Sheriff Kellerman said they would look into it. Chairman Kelly said vehicles have been tearing up a portion of Dandelion Road. Otten said he would repair the road, removing the mud.