Incentives for continuing ed. offered to city employees

Published 10:48 am Thursday, December 19, 2019

City employees will have new incentives to pursue additional training, certifications or higher education.

The Winchester Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a new program for employees to receive pay increases based on opportunities they pursue.

Winchester City Manager Matt Belcher said each department created a list of qualifying programs or certifications. Many would carry a two-step increase within the city’s pay plan.

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The plan, if every employee takes advantage and completes the maximum, could cost the city an additional $600,000 in the first two years. The commissioners voted to roll the plan out over two years, with employees limited to five step increases during each of the first two years.

“If an employee wants to put in the time and put in the work … on average it’s a 2 percent bump for each class,” Belcher said.

The initial funding, Belcher said, would come from the city’s reserves.

Belcher said some employees would qualify for an immediate pay increase, based on what they have already achieved.

“We have to take care of our employees,” Commissioner JoEllen Reed said. “Where would we be without any employees?”

Winchester Mayor Ed Burtner, though, was concerned with the financial impact in light of ever-increasing pension payments and a decision earlier this year to add six new positions at Winchester Fire-EMS.

“We either provide the money through revenue or we cut services,” Burtner said. “It seems to me we need to be realistic about how we’re going to pay for it.”

“We’ve got to do something and this will be one of the best incentives around,” Commissioner Ramsey Flynn said. “We’ve got to take care of our employees before the dollar.”

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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