LAKEPORT >> Tuesday the Board of Supervisors (BOS) voted unanimously to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Lake County Deputy Sheriff”s Association (DSA) and to authorize Director of Water Resources Scott De Leon to submit and sign an application for state funding, which will be used for the county”s Quagga/Zebra Mussel Infestation Prevention Program.
The memorandum between Lake County and the DSA was reached after more than 10 months of negotiations, with significant compromises made on both sides, according to Deputy Accounting Officer Alan Flora. Some of the changes seek to encourage participation in professional training programs and assignments.
“We”re hopeful that these changes will have a positive impact on the DSA”s recruitment and retention opportunities,” Flora said.
The two-year agreement will be effective until Dec. 31, 2015 and most of the changes to benefits will not be retroactively paid out, according to Flora.
Based on the board”s overall priorities of maintaining a balanced budget, maintaining existing service levels and not reducing employee benefits, the memorandum”s summary states, the county has committed funding to offset rising employee health care costs with a healthcare stipend but is not able to afford a cost of living increase for deputies.
The changes to the agreement between the association and the county include a $750 annual healthcare stipend for eligible employees, increasing the yearly equipment allowance by $100 for a total of $1,000, providing the deputy or sergeant assigned as range master with a $1,500 a year stipend and providing a stepped increase of 2.5 percent of base pay for intermediate, advanced and supervisory Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) certificate holders beginning July 21, 2015.
A major change to the agreement is the removal of the “me too” clauses, or clauses stipulating that when the county allows for a increase in benefits in its memorandum with one association, it must also give those benefits to county employees represented by other associations. Flora said the “me too” clauses in such memorandums have been in place for a long time.
“The board decided it makes it more difficult to make adjustments to one association”s agreement if that adjustment will affect everyone,” Flora said. “If the board can focus on providing benefits for each unit though, it gives it more flexibility when providing increases in benefits.”
The changes will result in a total increase in cost to the county compared with the previous agreement with the DSA, Flora said.
The BOS adjourned and reconvened as the Watershed Protection District board mid-meeting to adopt the resolution giving the director of Water Resources the authority to sign and submit Lake County”s application for the Quagga/Zebra mussel infestation prevention funds through the California of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW).
De Leon said he would be completing the application Tuesday, which requests the funds to improve and enhance the educational aspects of the county”s water vessel inspection program and do as much ramp monitoring as possible.
The DBW will be awarding a total of $2.5 million to fund such projects throughout the state. If each agency granted funds received the maximum allowance of $200,000, only 12-and-a-half agencies would be awarded funding, De Leon said.
The grant agreement with the DBW will be finalized no later than June 1, 2015, according to the application”s guidelines.
Further information on the county”s application process for the funds will be published in a later edition of the Record-Bee.
The BOS also proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and voted to participate in the Great California Shakeout for Earthquake Preparedness drill to be conducted at the courthouse on Thursday at 10:16 a.m.
Additionally, it voted to continue the proclamation of an emergency declaration for drought conditions during Tuesday”s meeting. Emergency Services Manger Marisa Chilafoe said weather services are projecting if not one, two more years of drought in California.
