Council weighs higher highway superintendent salary and whether to hire a licensed engineer

Mr. Pasel asked the council to authorize a highway superintendent posting with a salary range between $60,000 and $70,925, noting that the Wagner Irwin Sheiley study lists a low of $63,832 and a mid of $70,925. He said the fully loaded cost at the top of the range would be about $84,295 when FICA, PERF and benefits are included.

Council members pressed on whether hiring a registered professional civil engineer as the county employee would unlock up to $40,000 in state reimbursement and on whether such a hire would reduce outside engineering-contract costs. One member noted that many counties that employ in-house engineers are substantially larger and that an in-house engineer would have to be hired as a registered professional engineer to qualify for the full reimbursement.

Members asked for research on (1) how much the county currently pays engineering firms for design/construction work, (2) whether similarly sized counties have saved money by hiring in-house licensed engineers, and (3) how an in-house engineer would change salary structures for assistants or shift leads. The council did not vote on the salary authorization at this meeting and asked staff to return with comparative data and candidate interest information.