Detention staff thanked after board-approved pay increases, union says

Jim Soonus of the Team Students Union told the Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 5 that union members wanted to thank the board after it approved pay increases for detention staff.

"We as the union representing the detention facility...started the discussion...about looking at wages," Soonus said, adding that the board approved a larger-than-negotiated increase that "has made a big difference." He presented a signed card "to say thank you for your consideration and for following through," and said members wanted a memento for the board.

Chairman responded by praising detention staff. "Detention is a tough job and the people who work there are some of the best," he said, and thanked the union for the gesture. The meeting transcript also records recognition for Officer Walter Webb for an award earlier in the year.

There was no formal board action recorded during the presentation; it was a public expression of thanks for a pay decision the board said it had already approved earlier in its budget process. The board completed the rest of its scheduled business and adjourned later the same morning.