As expected, Clay County Commissioners approved $2,080 raises Monday for all sheriff’s deputies and other commissioned employee, an expenditure of 2015 carryover funds from the county’s Law Enforcement Sales Tax.
There was no further discussion about the increases, which Sheriff Paul Vescovo has said was needed to make Clay County Sheriff’s Department more competitive with other area agencies.
The raises were part of the commission’s consent agenda, a grouping of 20 resolutions routinely decided with a single vote by commissioners.
The same agenda included routine approval of sheriff’s requests to apply for four law-enforcement-related Missouri Department of Transportation grants.
A fifth grant application, however, appeared on the board’s regular agenda, which allowed Eastern Commissioner Luann Ridgeway to go on record opposing a seemingly routine application for a $3,600 grant.
The application in question – the Department of Transportation
Occupant Protection/Click It or Ticket Project Grant – was approved 2-1, but not before Ridgeway went on record saying she opposed the using seatbelt data to influence legislative action on future bills.
“As I stated last week, I don’t have any problem with a person wearing a seatbelt,” Ridgeway said, before voting “no”. “I just don’t support taxpayer money being used to either support or oppose legislation proposed” in Jefferson City.
Ridgeway voted the same way a year ago when the sheriff submitted the same Click It or Ticket application.
Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte and Western Commissioner Gene Owen voted in favor.
“I’m going to vote in favor of this because I think it’s important,” Nolte said.
To read more, read the Friday, March 18 edition of The Excelsior Springs Standard