MAYVILLE – Members of the Chautauqua County Legislature have agreed to increase the salary ranges for a number of employee positions, but the decision was not unanimous.

During the recent county legislature meeting, officials voted 12-5 to pass a local law providing for a management salary plan for county officers and employees as well as a local law providing for a management salary plan, specifically for the director of real property taxes services, public health director, and the director of human resources.

During discussion of the two local laws in committee the week beforehand, Human Resources Director Deborah Makowski said the local laws will not impact the overall budget, in that if department heads want to increase salaries for their employees, they must make sure they have the money in their budgets to do so.

During the full legislature meeting, Legislator Tom Nelson, D-Jamestown, questioned that logic.

“I understand that the proposal does not impact the budget this year, and not one employee will see an increase in their pay – yet in the future, yes. As I said in the Audit and Control Committee meeting, I just think it’s wrong that these salary ranges will sail through without debate or discussion or question,” he said.

Nelson also questioned the size of the ranges, noting some ranges have a difference of $50,000 and others have a difference of nearly $89,000.

He proposed tabling the local laws for more discussion, but that proposal failed, with all 10 present Republicans voting no and all seven Democratic legislators voting yes. There were two Republican legislators absent.

Legislator Fred Larson, D-Jamestown, said he supports the logic that department heads be given some discretion when giving raises, however he, too, questioned the size of the ranges.

“When you have an $89,000 difference, between the bottom of the range and the top of the range, that just seems excessive,” he said.

Legislator Dan Pavlock, R-Ellery, said he supports the local laws, because some employees are already at the top of their ranges and will not be eligible for a raise without the legislation being passed.

“Making those adjustments, I think, is beneficial for those employees, that they deserve that increase. But I do so reservedly, because I think the process in which we determine those ranges does need to get looked at with more scrutiny,” he said.

Pavlock, who is the chairman of the Audit and Control Committee, was asked if he would be willing to have Makowski make a presentation about the sizes of the ranges, which he agreed to do in the future.

Along with the 10 present Republicans, Democratic Legislators Larson and Marcus Buchanan of Dunkirk voted in favor of both local laws.

Approved ranges and titles in the first local law are as follows:

Range 1 – $40,076 – $61,213. No titles listed.

Range 2 – $43,478 – $66,474. No titles listed

Range 3 – $46,873 – $71,747. No titles listed.

Range 4 – $50,272 – $76,989. Secretary to Legislature

Range 5 – $53,674 – $82,248. No titles listed.

Range 6 – $57,073 – $87,514. Clerk of the Legislature, Executive Assistant (District Attorney), Special Projects Coordinator, Training/Development Coordinator.

Range 7 – $60,475 – $92,778. Deputy County Clerk, Personnel Technician, Safety Coordinator.

Range 8 – $63,879 – $98,038 Assistant to Commissioner of Social Services Coroner Supervisor, Executive Assistant (County Executive), Insurance Administrator (Human Resources).

Range 9 – $67,272 – $103,302. Administrative Coordinator Director of Veterans’ Services, Executive Assistant (County Attorney), Financial Analyst to Legislature, Manager of Airports.

Range 10 – $70,676 – $108,563. Deputy Director of Office for the Aging Services, Deputy Director of Planning, Deputy Director of Planning & Economic Development, Director of Emergency Services.

Range 11 – $71,229 – $113,826. Assistant Construction and Maintenance Supervisor, Assistant Deputy Director of Public Facilities (Buildings and Grounds), Deputy Director of Finance, Deputy Public Health Director, Employee/Labor Relations Administrator, Engineer III, Epidemiology Manager, Media Information Officer, Mental Hygiene Program Coordinator, Mental Hygiene Program Coordinator (Single Point of Access – Child), Payroll Manager, Probation Supervisor 1, Purchasing Manager, Sanitation Supervisor, Senior Personnel Technician

Range 12 – $77,475 – $119,082, Administrative Director of North Chautauqua County Water & Sewer Districts, Deputy Director of Public Facilities (Environment), Director of Patient Services, Director of Social Services, Insurance Administrator (Finance), Law Graduate, Senior Project Coordinator (Transportation).

Range 13 $80,875 – $124,354. Deputy Commissioner of Social Services, Deputy Director of Human Resources, Deputy Director of Public Facilities (Airports), Deputy Director of Public Facilities (Engineering), Deputy Probation Director (Group B), Director of Administrative Services, Director of Certification, Director of Office for the Aging, Director of North Chautauqua Lake Sewer District,

Range 14 – $84,282 – $131,884. Assistant County Attorney, Assistant District Attorney, Assistant Public Defender, Assistant Social Services Attorney, Deputy Director of Community Mental Hygiene Services, Director of Environmental Health Services, Director of Health Services.

Range 15 – $87,692 – $139,414. Deputy County Executive for Economic Development, Director of Nursing Services.

Range 16 – $91,102 – $146,944. Director of South and Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer District

Range 17 – $94,512 – $154,474. Corrections Lieutenant, Probation Director (Group B), Second Assistant County Attorney, Second Assistant District Attorney, Second Assistant Public Defender, Second Assistant Social Services Attorney

Range 18 – $97,922 – $162,004. Budget Director, First Deputy Director of Finance, Warden

Range 19 – $101,332 – $169,534. Deputy Sheriff Captain, Director of Emergency Services and Workplace Safety, Director of Public Facilities

Range 20 – $104,742 – $177,064. Director of Mental Hygiene and Social Services

Range 21 – $108,152 – $184,594. First Assistant County Attorney, First Assistant District Attorney, First Assistant Public Defender, First Assistant Social Services Attorney, Undersheriff

Range 22 – $111,562 – $192,124. Social Services Attorney

Range 23 – $114,972 – $199,654. No titles listed

Range 24 – $118,382 – $207,184. Chief Information Officer, County Attorney, Director of Finance

The second local law lists the following salary ranges and titles:

Range 13 – $80,875 – $124,354. Director of Real Property Tax Services III.

Range 16 – $91,102 – $146,944. Public Health Director

Range 24 – $118,382 – $207,184. Director of Human Resources/ Compliance Officer.