Published: July 01, 2009 08:44 pm      

Handbook topic of discussion

WAURIKA — What began as a simple item to approve the new Jefferson County Courthouse personnel handbook turned into a discussion about what changes needed to be made before the book could be approved by the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners.

The proposed handbook was presented by Michael Jeffcoat, educator for the Oklahoma State University Extension Office, during the commissioners’ regular meeting Tuesday. When commissioners started looking through the changes Jeffcoat had made to the handbook, they expressed some concerns about when benefits, vacation time and sick leave kick in.

“I know the big thing was the leave stuff,” Jeffcoat said.

Trying to determine these things became a rapidly developing project. The board looked at what had been done in the past to try to figure out how each of these issues should be addressed.

After a lengthy discussion, the commissioners came to an agreement about each item.

They said new employees will be able to accrue vacation at 6.67 hours per month and will be able to take vacation after being employed 90 days, which is the length of time they allotted for a probationary period.

New employees will also have eight hours of sick time once they’ve been employed by the county for 30 days.

The final portion of the handbook discussed by the board was about insurance. The commissioners said the item would be similar to vacation. Insurance won’t kick in until after the 90-day probationary period.

In other action:

• The commissioners approved a contract between Visual Lease Services and the county commissioners for the county assessor. This is a contract the board approves every year.

• The board approved payroll.

• The commissioners approved another contract that is approved every year. This contract was the Comanche County Juvenile Bureau Contract.

• They also approved appointing Rachel Pollan and Anne Medlinger as receiving officers for the county treasurer’s office.

• County Treasurer Vickie Behrens presented a disaster recovery plan for her office. Behrens said the plan was something the state auditor’s office asked her to do.

• The board also approved going out for bids for a used oil distribution truck. Commissioners said the truck couldn’t be older than a 1997 model and had to have at least a 1,900 gallon tank.