County officials propose pay increases to convert agency nursing supervisors at Greydale

County officials on the county’s personnel committee on Sept. 16 urged action to upgrade multiple nursing supervisor positions at the county-owned nursing home Greydale to reduce reliance on agency staff and improve resident supervision.

County representatives said a recent salary study found Greydale’s supervisory pay lagging regional employers and that the county frequently relies on agency supervisors. “So, we’re paying $91 an hour for an agency nurse and our nurses… They’re making $34 an hour,” a county executive told the committee, illustrating the gap staff said was driving turnover and morale problems.

The administration described the plan as an “operation stabilization strategy,” proposing either to proceed with the currently posted paygrade (R38) or to amend the resolution to create paygrade 32 with authority to hire up to step seven as a recruitment rate. “The magic number is 52. We have to get to 52,” the county executive said, referring to a $52-per-hour target base intended to make county positions competitive with agency and private-sector rates.

Council members and staff said the upgrades would convert agency-covered supervisory slots into county payroll positions when possible and argued that higher permanent salaries would reduce agency costs; one councilor said hiring county supervisors should reduce the $91-per-hour agency expense and improve accountability and morale. Mr. Cologne, speaking for operations staff, said the county currently has two full-time Greydale county-employed nursing supervisors and one part-time supervisor, with the remaining supervisory coverage provided by agency staff.

Committee members directed the administration to prepare two resolution options for the next council meeting—one keeping the earlier paygrade and one amending to paygrade 32 with a recruitment step up to seven—so council could vote on a clear hiring authority and recruitment rate. No formal vote was taken in committee; the items were set for the next meeting agenda.