(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors today (Tues.) voted unanimously to appoint a new County Attorney, in place of having a special election. Supervisor Steve Clark says time is somewhat of the essence…
“At this point in time, I think I would rather appoint a new attorney so we can have somebody on board instead of waiting, what it would take? Three months or whatever to get a special election, a certain amount of time. I think it’s more necessary to get someone appointed and on the job and if the voters don’t like what we’re doing they have the option of gathering a certain percentage of the people who voted for the Governor in the last election. So I would at this point in time go for appointing.”
The supervisors will accept applications for the position until December 30th. They’ll review the applications and act on an appointment at their meeting January 3rd, 2023.
On another matter, elected officials in Dickinson county will be getting a wage increase in the next year but not at levels recommended by the county’s Compensation Board, which was calling for a six percent raise along with a 2.7 percent bonus at the end of the year. Supervisor Tim Fairchild recommended an amount somewhat lower than the recommendation…
“We’ve asked an awful lot of taxpayers in the 2024 budget, buying radios and stuff. I think we’re going to be pretty tight. I really think we need to be a little judicious here. When I figure it, the increase in insurance benefits alone are worth from two to four percent of your wage depending on what you make. I mean that’s a real number and it’s real money so you really have to consider that. So what I would propose at this time is that we take those recommendations and pay 70 percent of them in both cases, is what I would do. So they’re still going to end up, you know, with a realistic, realistically they’re going to end up with an eight percent bonus if you count in everything.”
A motion to that effect passed four to one, with supervisor Steve Clark voting no. A raise of similar proportions was approved for non-elected employees, on a same vote four to one vote. A vote granting the sheriff a $7,000 increase with a 1.9 percent bonus was approved 5-0.
