County ponders longevity bonuses

Custer County employees may begin receiving additional bonuses each year to reward them for longevity with the county. If approved by the commission, the rewards could begin as soon as this year.

At the Oct. 10 meeting of the Custer County Commission, the commission heard about the longevity pay proposal from county department heads, who said they have been looking at different ways to boost morale and reward long-term employees for their loyalty to the county.

Allison Jensen, the county’s director of equalization, said department heads polled other area counties about what, if anything, they do to reward long-term employees. Of the 17 counties that responded, only three said they do not have some sort of reward program. To that end, the department heads put together a possible pay schedule that would begin rewarding employees after five years of service and continues up to 40 years. The bonuses would be given once a year. The program would cost the county around $20,000 the first year.

County auditor Linda Nelson said if the program is approved for the 2013 budget, it would require the county to make a transfer out of contingency or do a supplemental budget, as the 2013 budget was finalized last month.