Shawano County OKs deputy bargaining agreement

The Shawano County Board unanimously signed off Nov. 18 on a new collective bargaining agreement with the Shawano County Deputy Sheriff’s Association that will guarantee 2% pay increases for the next three years, among other things.

The agreement takes effect Jan. 1 and will continue until the end of 2023.

County Board Chairman Tom Kautza said that the deputy union already signed off on the agreement, so all that was needed was for the board to give its blessing.

The 2% pay increases mean the county will shell out more than $2.4 million for salaries in 2021 and almost $2.6 million in 2023, the last year of the agreement.

Shawano County’s deputies make more than Menominee County deputies but less than those in Waupaca County, although sheriff’s officials did not furnish the board with specific details on the comparison.

Supervisor Arlyn Tober expressed concern that the county could lose deputies as it has employees with highway department employees.

Chief Deputy George Lenzner pointed out that the union guarantees that deputies get raises annually through the collective bargaining agreement, thus keeping their pay in line with surrounding counties.

Under the new agreement, deputies starting with the county will make $25.37 per hour in 2021, $25.87 in 2022 and $26.39 in 2023. Detectives and corporals will make a minimum of $31.26 per hour in 2021, and patrol and detective sergeants will make $32.93.

The agreement also modified language relating to school resource officer positions and higher ranks from corporal on up. The school resource officer position shall be filled by the least senior patrol deputy if no one comes forward with an interest in the position. Anyone interested in becoming a corporal, sergeant, detective or detective sergeant will be required to have at least five years of full-time experience in law enforcement and three years as a deputy under the agreement, which has taken out language requiring tenure with Shawano County.

Deputies’ clothing allowance will increase from $450 to $600 annually under the new agreement.

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com