From: Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers
Columbus
As your Bartholomew County Sheriff, I would like to know why the Bartholomew County Council does not support its most important asset – Bartholomew County employees?
Low wages are associated with increased stress, low self-esteem and employees who do not feel valued.
Not paying employees a fair wage and offering better benefits can have disastrous consequences, and it appears that our Bartholomew County Council may realize this only when it’s far too late.
Seeing dedicated and talented employees walk out the door is challenging, but losing top workers is even harder — and it’s happening more and more. It’s happened at the Sheriff’s Office and probably at every other office in county government.
It is extremely difficult to hold on to good employees when other businesses are offering more and more money. Apparently, our Bartholomew County Council will not or cannot react quickly enough to prevent the loss of good, dedicated employees from accepting other positions with a larger salary offer.
And, when good employees leave, productivity sinks, morale suffers and colleagues struggle with increased workloads.
Bartholomew County Council member Mark Gorbett pled for council members to approve a 5% pay increase for Bartholomew County employees. Council member Jorge Morales supported Gorbett’s request. Outgoing council member Scott Bonnell also said he supported Gorbett’s request; however, when it came to a vote, Bonnell voted “no”.
Outgoing council member Greg Duke does not support increasing employee pay even though the Columbus City Council is preparing to give city employees a 6% pay increase in 2023. Gorbett continued to support Bartholomew County employees by arguing that Jackson County is preparing to give employees an even larger 8% pay increase. Council member Matt Miller’s reply was that Bartholomew County employees would still be receiving more money than those working in Jackson County. Really?
The vote was 5-2. Voting for county employees were Gorbett and Morales. Voting no for county employees were Evelyn Pence, Matt Miller, Scott Bonnell, Bill Lentz and Greg Duke.
The final vote and adoption of next year’s budget is scheduled for 6 pm on Thursday, October 20. You still have time to contact your county council representative and let them know that you support our hard-working Bartholomew County employees.
Hopefully, next year, when new council members take office, the council will be more supportive of their number one asset – our employees.
