EATON — Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson attended the PC Commissioners’ meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 6, to discuss salary adjustments for non-union employees.

“As indicated in my letter, we spoke about this during contract negations during our meeting. We are going to have to make adjustments for next year, but I think we’re going to go ahead and make them this year,” he said. “We can do this without passing any additional money from the board.

“As the letter indicated, there are two majors and a chief deputy that are non-union at-will employees. They get no retirement fund and no holiday pay — nothing like that. Over the years that separation between the highest ranking, which is a captain, and most positions has quickly narrowed to the point where it is at three percent right now.

“Typically that separation is anywhere from 12 to 15 percent in ranks. Currently, the split between the senior deputy and the captain, which are in the union, is 16 percent and typically it has been that way.”

He added, “It would be my intent that these salaries would hold until 2019. When I look at what a base rate for a captain is going to be in my office, he’s at $58,282 and that is a base rate, which does not include overtime or holiday pay. By 2019, that captain’s base rate is going to be $61,838. With overtime and holiday pay he is probably going to exceed the rank of major.

“I think these salaries adjustments are appropriate. I’m in my 14th year as sheriff and I have never adjusted these. We need to get those percentages back where they should be.”

Sheriff Simpson added, they had talked about the adjustments being needed for next year, but with only seven pay periods left, increasing the salaries this year would not see a big increase in spending.

“We have to keep a spread in there with those positions,” he said. “It needs to make sense for people to want to be in those positions. I think these proposed adjustments are appropriate and we will continue to evaluate as we move forward. With this adjustment, the base rate of the Captain is still going to have a split of 10 percent in 2018. In 2019, that split will drop. I don’t think we’re out of line with neighboring counties of similar size.”

According to Commissioner Chris Day, this would result in a $30,000 increase, but the Sheriff is not asking the commissioners for any additional money, only to amend the annual appropriations.