Commission inks contract with dog pound, maintenance workers
Published 12:00 am Thursday, June 29, 2006
The county’s three maintenance employees and the three employees at the Lawrence County Dog Pound have a new contract with their bosses.
The Lawrence County Commission Thursday approved a new three-year contract with both sets of workers covered under the work pact with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3319D.
A second contract that covers the year 2005 retroactively was also approved since the old contract expired more than a year ago.
Workers will receive a 25-cent-an-hour pay increase for each of the three years covered under the new contract.
Mark McCown, attorney for the commission, said 25-cents may not sound like a great offer, but given the circumstances, it was the most an ailing county could offer.
“Because of the economic problems the county is having the employees have been willing to pitch in,” McCown said. “They understand with the economy of the area it was getting to the point that it was either smaller raises or layoffs.”
A performance bonus was given to dog pound employees, who in turn opted to share their added benefit with the three maintenance workers.
Sandra Shonborn, area representative for the union, was not available for comment.
McCown said the contract for dog pounds and maintenance workers bears a striking resemblance to a contract finalized last week with the Teamsters Union Local 93 — which represents the 13 employees at the Lawrence County 911 office — and one signed earlier this year with the Fraternal Order of Police Local 75, which covers employees of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.
In both of those contracts, workers got similar wage hikes.
This leaves one last contract hurdle to jump: the AFSCME Local 3319C that represents five management-level county employees.
“We’ll probably end up going to a mediator with that one,” Commissioner George Patterson said. “I don’t know for sure, but we are pretty far apart in some areas.”
In other matters, the commission approved a resolution designating Thursday as Carroll and Helen Nichols Day in Lawrence County. The Rome Township couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Thursday.
Commissioner Doug Malone asked that a letter be sent to Lawrence County Engineer David Lynd on the need for repairs to County Road 6 in Perry Township. Malone said part of the road is caving in and some of it needs to be ditched.
Also, he asked that a letter be sent to AT&T Telephone Co. regarding a tree that is threatening a telephone line along that roadway.
Residents contended the tree is likely to fall over, not only knocking out telephone service but possibly also impeding traffic.
The commission also approved commendations for Brent Ransbottom, the Chesapeake High School senior who was Ohio State High Jumping Champion, and Nathan Miller, who is ending his tenure as president of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce.