The Starke County Commissioners have scheduled a work session Monday afternoon to revise the Sheriff’s Department Handbook and to review the recommendations proposed to codify the county’s ordinances.
The Sheriff’s Department Handbook was discussed at this week’s commissioners meeting when Sheriff Oscar Cowen asked for directions on employee vacation time. Because of different shift requirements – some officers working eight hours and others on duty for 12 – vacation time is difficult to compute.
Cowen said the last guideline for vacation time was an entry in the Merit Board Handbook, listed as a revised addition in 1988. Commissioner Kathy Norem questioned the authority of the Merit Board to establish vacation time, claiming that is a commission function.
All of the confusion will be ironed out Monday afternoon as the commissioners and sheriff go over the handbook.
