The Monroe County Board will tend to several housekeeping issues on Wednesday at the County Board Meeting Room in the Monroe County Courthouse Annex. The meeting will be the first regular County Board meeting to begin at the new starting time of 4 p.m.

The County Board will consider a resolution that would transfer $465,174 from the county’s contingency fund to county department budgets to cover the cost of salary and fringe benefit increases. The county settled with health and dental insurance companies for 2008 rates, along with wage increases for non-union employees and Human Services unions. Each department has calculated the amounts necessary to cover the increased costs of wages and fringe benefits for the 2008 calendar year.

The board will also be considering resolutions to ratify arbitration awards for 2007-2008 collective bargaining agreements between the county and the Highway and Sheriff’s department unions. Parties were unable to settle differences, and the matters went to arbitration hearings in February and March of 2008.

The arbitrator in the case of the Highway Union issued an award in favor of the county’s final offer, which includes two percent wage increases on Jan. 1, 2007, and Jan. 1, 2008. A one-half percent increase on July 1, 2008, and the addition of a $100 single/$200 family health insurance deductible effective Jan. 1, 2008, were also included in the award.

In the case of the Sheriff’s Department Union, the arbitrator issued an award in favor of the union’s final offer, which also includes two percent wage increases on Jan. 1 in 2007 and 2008. The Sheriff’s Department Union’s offer also includes a one percent wage increase on July 1 in 2007 and 2008.