Quorum Court Approves Pay Increases

RISON - County workers received a couple of early Christmas presents Monday night when the Cleveland County Quorum Court voted to give employees a one-time payment of 5 percent of their salary this month plus a 3 to 5 percent pay increase starting in January. Meanwhile, the quorum court also approved four separate resolutions seeking to use federal aide money to replace four bridges along county roads that have been deemed in need of replacement by the state. Those actions and more were taken during the Cleveland County Quorum Court's regular monthly meeting Monday night. County Judge Jimmy Cummings said after the meeting that each department within county government had enough left over in this year's budget to fund the one-time 5 percent year-end payments. Overall, the bonuses for all county employees will cost $99,553. Cummings explained that each department head within county government controls the budget within their office. By keeping an eye on expenses throughout the year, he said each depart-ments was in a position to fund the one-time payments. The pay increases for next year were included in the 2024 county budget that was approved by the quorum court Monday night. Those pay increases will be for 3, 4 or 5 percent based on the employee's longevity with the county. Cummings said there three pay schedulews used in county government: one for those working in the courthouse (county judge's office, clerk's office, assessor's office, etc.), another for the sheriff's department and another for the county road department. While the salary increases will make the county more competitive with the pay being offered by surrounding counties, Cummings said it was also needed to make the pay more competitive with what is being offered in the local private sector. The 2024 budget was approved with the stipulation that pay increase for the solid waste manager be based on the position's actual salary, not on th...