Windy at times with periods of rain. High around 50F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..
Partly cloudy during the evening followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low around 40F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: February 7, 2023 @ 1:47 am
The article “Commissioners refuse to fund digital forensic analyst position” (News-Times, Dec. 23) creates a false and misleading picture of the situation the article purports to cover.
The headline itself is part of the problem. As the article itself correctly states, the position is part of the current county budget, and it is funded. We have had this position in our budget and the approval to replace the position was granted. We did not refuse to fund this position as the headline states.
The article further omits that this position was advertised at a pay range of $59,322 to $62,935 a year, which is consistent with our policy to advertise positions at a step 1 to 3.
The position was posted and advertised for 17 days in October. Two candidates passed, meaning they met at least the minimum qualifications for the position as reviewed by the county’s human resources staff. The district attorney did not interview either of these candidates and requested that the advertisement be pulled.
The DA then asked for a substantial increase in the salary. To increase a salary, an analysis must be completed. It was accomplished and found that this position to be slightly under-compensated based on other comparable counties to Lincoln. The DA, however, continued to insist on a higher salary, using urban counties as comparables. Unfortunately, due to collective bargaining agreements, this is not an option. Nonetheless, if a candidate is found to exceed minimum qualifications (above a typical entry level range), there is leeway to bring an employee in at a higher step within a salary range.
Organizationally, the best way to move forward in hiring this position is for the DA to re-open the search, review candidates, select one, then work with the board of commissioners, human resources and finance to identify an adequate step within the salary range as part of the collective bargaining agreement.
Finally, I want to express my disappointment in the News-Times for publishing such an incomplete and one-sided story. The tone is more reminiscent of a press release or prosecutorial brief than an objective news story. Every story has at least two sides, and it’s important for the reporter to present them as accurately and effectively as they can.
Claire Hall, Lincoln County Commissioner
Newport
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.
Thank you.
Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Ends: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.