Personnel committee approves adding deputy for courthouse security

Taylor County will gain an additional deputy to work security at the courthouse.

The county board had previously approved a plan to tighten security at the courthouse with a monitored entrance including weapons screening. The position will be staffed by a county sheriff’s deputy.

While the cost of the equipment will be covered through bond forfeiture funds from the court system, the cost of staffing the position will come from the county budget and required a changing in the staffing authorizations to add a position to the sheriff’s department.

Chief Deputy Corey Dassow was at the November 14 county personnel committee meeting asking for that additional authorization. The cost of the position was not part of the discussion, the plan is for the cost for this year to be absorbed by the sheriff’s department budget and for it to be factored into the 2026 budget when it comes up for approval next fall.

Committee members approved the staffing increase. For sworn officers, the department currently includes 12 road deputies, three detectives, the court security officer, chief deputy and sheriff. In addition there are jailer and dispatcher positions within the department.

Under the county’s rules for creating new positions, action is taken by the oversight committee for that department and also by the personnel committee. In the case of the sheriff’s department, wages and benefits for the positions are subject to union negotiations and the contract between the county and union.

In other law enforcement matters, committee members also approved starting the process to fill a vacancy that will exist in the department when Dassow assumes the sheriff’s position this January following the retirement of Larry Woebbeking. Dassow said he anticipates promoting from within to fill the chief deputy position, which would result in a deputy position being vacant.

In other business, committee members:

• Approved formally changing the job title of human resources director presently held by Nicole Hager, to include administrative coordinator/human resources director. The county had previously appointed her to that position but had not included it in her formal job title.

• Approved a change in the employment allocation for the county to clarify that the payroll benefit specialist will remain at 35 hours per week despite being moved into the finance department.

• Approved changes to the ADRC of Taylor County authorization to raise positions to 40 hours per week. This is part of a plan for director Jenn Viergutz to delegate additional commission on aging duties to her administrative assistant and others in the office. This was a condition of the change with the county absorbing the aging and disability resource center functions with the end of the ADRC of the Northwoods. The change will be effective January 1. In related action, committee members approved the wage classifications for the new positions in the ADRC of Taylor County.

• Approved reappointing Scott Perrin as the county’s medical examiner with no changes to his contract. County code requires the position to be reappointed every year.

• Approved changes to the seasonal and casual employee wage schedule to reflect changes to the pay ratings. Hagar told committee members she has been working with department heads on updating the document.