Scioto County Commissioners Chairman Tom Reiser has told the Portsmouth Daily Times that no bonuses have been given out to county workers.

Reiser was asked to respond to a report by Scioto County Recorder Irene Ashley that the commissioners gave longevity pay to the commissioners’ employees, and gave the Board of Elections an extra pay for the year as their bonus.

“What she was referring to was the Board of Elections,” Reiser told the Times. “The Board of Elections doesn’t do their payroll like anyone else, and they never have. They set their salary, and just like we set all the salaries for all the other departments, then, instead of dividing that in 26 pays, they divide it into 27 pays. That way they do get an extra check, but it is part of their salary. It is not a one-time salary increase. It’s not a bonus.”

Reiser said the commissioners do not control the Board of Elections because they have a separate board.

Reiser also took the time to explain longevity pay, which also came into question.

“That is in the county policy. It has been long established,” Reiser said. “What it says is, basically, if you have had, I think it’s 20 years of service, there is a longevity factor, that employees get. All employees don’t get it, but it’s based upon time. That’s in the county policy. It is not just something that is based on a whim.”

Reiser said, with the budget shortfall, there is no one giving bonuses.

“The fact is that in the past two years — last year and this year — there has only been one office that has given a bonus, because last year we put out the memo that there would be no one-time salary increases, no bonuses given at Christmas time. And this year we did the same thing,” Reiser said. “But last year there was one office that gave a bonus, and it happened to be the Recorder’s office. And it was in the amount of $1,000 per employee. That was the only office that did it.”

Reiser said the reason for the original cut in payroll to the Recorder’s office was the loss of employees.

“She had an employee who left and she couldn’t re-employ her, so when she put in her budget request, she requested funding for that employee. We had the hiring freeze. We didn’t give her that,” Reiser said. “The average cost of an employee is about $55,000 a year. So we eliminated that $55,000.”

Reiser said, since the fiscal crisis led the county to fiscal emergency status, most offices have cut back hours.

“When we started on this trying to save money in April, our (commission) employees agreed to eliminate two days a month, one day every pay period. And so they gave up eight hours each pay period. And they did that since April 1 until last Friday,” Reiser said. “Other departments have done similar things — the prosecutor’s office, juvenile court. We usually have problems with the courts running short, but the courts have all managed their programs, and have not requested any extra money.”

Reiser said the recorder’s office cut hours for approximately six pay periods, but eventually returned to full time.

Reiser told The Times there is even consideration being given to end the longevity pay for long-time employees of the commissioners office as a way of continuing to cut costs.

FRANK LEWIS may be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232.