Compensation paid to the board chairman was curtailed for a second straight month by the Oconto County Board.
Chairman Lee Rymer will no longer earn a $30 per diem to attend meetings of the committees in which he is not a member, even if the committees request his presence. Instead, supervisors said the meetings should be included in the chairman’s $7,200 annual salary.
With a 20-9 vote Thursday, supervisors amended the County Board financial management policy to allow only nonsalaried County Board members (the chairman and vice chairman receive a salary) to earn a half per diem of $30 for attending a committee meeting if the member has authorization from a committee to attend.
Supervisors are paid a $60 per diem to attend meetings of the committees in which they are members, but the policy refers to meetings outside supervisors’ normal committee assignments.
Supervisor Gerald Beekman said the chairman is expected to attend committee meetings, like those involving the construction of a law enforcement center, without being paid extra.
“It’s the responsibility of the County Board chairman to be there, but is it necessary to pay him per diems to encourage him to come to that meeting? I don’t think so,” he said.
“That individual can attend any committee meeting they want to attend, and there’s a $600 a month salary that’s paid for that position,” Supervisor Rose Stellmacher said.
Supervisor Melissa Wellens disagreed.
“If the chairman is on the agenda, and they are requesting he be there, to me, that is above the salary,” she said.
Rymer also spoke in favor of keeping the half per diem policy.
“I just feel the chairman should be treated like a committee member,” he said.
He said he attends the meetings to “hear what’s going on.”
“I always look out for the county. I spend a lot of time here, and that’s good,” he said.
Rymer said previously he spends 15 to 20 hours per week at the courthouse.
A majority of supervisors, however, opposed the per diem payments, which were paid in addition to a salary.
In March, supervisors eliminated the supplemental compensation of $60 the chairman received for attending various events, seminars, banquets and ceremonies. They also changed the County Board rules to limit the scope of committee meetings the chairman is duty-bound to attend.
According to the rules, the chairman is to serve as chairperson of the finance/insurance committee and emergency management committee. He is also assigned to the technology services committee.
Rymer previously attended additional committee meetings, earning a $60 per diem for each. With Thursday’s action, Rymer will receive no compensation to attend committee meetings, aside from the three committees on which he serves.
Categories
