Thank you for your interest and questions regarding the recent article in the Daily Times about the new agreement between the United States Marshall’s Service and the Wicomico County Department of Corrections. In response to your primary concern the information cited in the article was neither a misprint nor was it meant to be misleading but perhaps it was incomplete. Specifically the article quoted Director Devenyns as saying “Additionally, it increases the hourly rate for correctional officers overseeing the inmates to $22, up from $17”. What was lacking is the explanation that these monies are provided by the U. S. Marshall’s Service to reimburse Wicomico County for any time a Correctional Officer is required to tran sport, watch or guard a Marshall’s Service inmate outside the Detention Center. This provision was included in the contract to ensure Wicomico County was paid for any additional Correctional Officer manpower needed to maintain custody of the USMS inmates. It was not meant to establish a baseline rate of pay for all Correctional Officers.
Indeed, that would be impossible because each of the 120 + individual Correctional Officers are paid based on years of service, rank and other factors. Therefore, the $22 hour reimbursement rate represents an average of the hourly rate paid to all C/O’s and when these funds are paid to Wicomico County, they are deposited in the County’s General Fund. I would also like you to know that when the Department of Corrections transports USMS inmates, Wicomico County is reimbursed at the federal mileage rate of $.58 cents per mile and these funds too are deposited in the General Fund.
Finally, I do understand and appreciate the difficult nature of the work performed by these employees and that is why I have supported the adoption of Hazardous Duty Pay for Correctional Officers. As you are no doubt aware, these are difficult economic times for everyone; individuals and governments. In preparing this year’s budget, revenue sources were down significantly and simply put there wasn’t enough to go around but, with the support of the County Council, we were able to fund a 3.5% increase for all employees. Rest assured that the compensation package for Correctional Officers is but one of my priorities and hopefully we will have more funding options and opportunities in the next fiscal year.
In closing, I do appreciate your comments and encourage you to contact me in the future with any other concerns there might be.
Sincerely,
Rick Pollitt
Wicomico County Executive
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
You made it.
ReplyDeleteThe government is the biggest employer in the country and now the highest paid.
Why put the reimbursement money in the GENERAL FUND? It should be put towards pay raises, etc. for the correctional officers!!!!!!! They are the ones doing all the work not the General Fund People.
ReplyDeleteI applaud Mr. Pollitt's response. However, I do have one challenge for Mr. Pollitt and perhaps this challenge will allow him to view WCDC with a more enlightened understanding. Mr. Pollitt, you should set aside one (1) complete day and visit WCDC and talk not only with management but also with the line personnel, both uniformed and civilian, to more fully understand their jobs and needs. I believe that you will leave with a better and more thorouh understanding of WCDC and the needs of the staff. Please be mindful that the needs of the staff is not purely salary based. You will find that the needs may be the addition of updated modern equipment and more thorough training for the staff to utilize. The staff at WCDC are fully committed to doing the best job possible for the citizens of Wicomico County and are true professinals in every sense of the word. Please, Mr. Pollitt, take time out of your busy schedule and make this visit and speak to those who are providing this very important direct public safety service to the citizens and listen to what they have to say. This would go a long way with many folks and demonstrate your continued commitment to good government and public safety.
ReplyDelete10:29
ReplyDeleteBULLSHIT !
Ricky is a master at stirring the turd. He is an excellent writer and can type out several paragraphs and still say nothing.
ReplyDeleteTo 2:24,
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame you feel that way about the people that work at WCDC. The request from 10:29 seems like it makes a lot of sense. Whats so wrong with this request from 10:29 and the statement 10:29 made about the staff at WCDC? Please tell us.
I AGREE ANOA 4.35 , JUST TELL ME WHAT HAS THIS SO CALLED EXECUTIVE FORM OF GOVERMENT DONE FOR WICOMICO COUNTY TAXPAYERS! I TELL YA WHAT ITS DONE NOTHING AND COST ALOT OF $$$$$$$$.THIS LIBERAL COULD SPIN CHICKEN POOP INTO CHICKEN SALAD IF YOU WOULD LET HIM
ReplyDeleteTHATS EXACTLY WHY NO ARTICLES SENT TO THE DT SHOULD EVER BE RELEASED UNTIL THEY ARE PROOF READ BY YOUR OFFICE FROM YOUR DEPT HEADS.YOU ALONE HAVE TO RESPOND FOR CORRECTIVENESS.
ReplyDeleteI want to hear what Pollitt is going to say regarding the PAC 14 heydaddy that's getting ready to happen
ReplyDeleteNalagirl