A comprehensive classification and compensation study of the county and sheriff’s office employees showed that salaries are, on average, 1.3 percent above market minimums and 5.6 percent below market midpoints.
Kristen Gilley, a senior consultant for Evergreen Solutions – the company conducting the study, attended the Henry County Board of Supervisors’ June meeting to present the results of the study.
Results indicated that starting salaries in the county are competitive, but those with more years of service still lag behind their peers in surrounding localities.
This combination of comparatively high starting pay, and lower tenured pay results is referred to as salary compression. Approximately 81.9 percent of county employees are below the midpoint.
Data was collected from 21 peers, including 10 localities, nine school districts, and two service authorities.
Evergreen proposed two separate salary plans for the county and sheriff’s office. The county plan would consist of 31 grades with 30 steps, while the sheriff’s office plan has the same number of steps but is broken down into 20 grades instead.
With the data in hand, the board now can work to address employee compensation, which was the top concern to emerge from this year’s annual planning session.
The next step in the process is for the board to decide how to implement the results of the pay study.
In other matters, the board:
*Honored Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry with a resolution for his more than 30 years of service. Perry retired on June 30. (See related stories)
*Approved a resolution to support the Virginia American 250 Commission.
*Approved a resolution in support of the issuance of bonds by the Town of Timberville’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) referencing the Sunnyside Presbyterian Home/King’s Grant Retirement Community.
*Heard a monthly report on delinquent tax collection efforts by Treasurer Scott Grindstaff.
*Heard an update on the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce from Chamber President Brenell Thomas.
*Heard a presentation on the comprehensive classification and compensation study from Evergreen Solutions, LLC Senior Consultant Kristen Gilley.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $80,000 and awarded a contract to Hurt & Proffitt, Inc., to complete the preliminary engineering report for phase 7 of the Dick & Willie Passage.
*Awarded a $57,516 contract to Trane U.S. Inc., for maintenance services on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems at County facilities.
*Awarded a contract to J.L. Culpepper & Company, Inc., to provide food at the Adult Detention Center.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $594,180 to cover shortfalls for the Sheriff’s Office related to inmate housing revenue and to cover various budget expenditure overages.
*Approved a change order in the amount of $57,230 to Aviat Networks for improvements to the emergency communications system microwave components.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $2,382 from state asset forfeiture funds to buy two printers and software for the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $56,457.67 and awarded a contract to Mobile Communications America to complete required updates to call handling in preparation for Next Generation 911 implementation by the Martinsville-Henry County 911 Center.
*Awarded a contract to Clearwater Mitigation IV, LLC, not to exceed $3,162,150 for compensatory stream mitigation credits, with an initial payment of $158,000 due at contract signing.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $78,068 from state asset forfeiture funds to purchase equipment and uniforms, and provide for the training and travel for School Resource Officers.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $361,000 from a grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice and awarded contracts to Flock Safety and Town Police Supply to purchase portable stationary cameras to be placed at major intersections and to purchase ballistic shields for the Sheriff’s Office.
*Appropriated $84,000 in grant funds, received from the Harvest Foundation, to provide incentives to JRS Realty in relation to the Fieldale School Apartments project.
*Appropriated $6,798, from its 2023 contingency funds, to provide onsite training for new and upcoming leaders in the organization through a partnership with Patrick & Henry Community College.
Tommy Slaughter, of the Reed Creek District, and Joe Bryant, of the Collinsville District, did not attend the meeting.
