CASSOPOLIS — Cass County’s jobless rate “popped up” in June, County Commissioner Roseanne Marchetti shared with the Board of Commissioners Thursday night.
“In May, the jobless number was 8.7 percent,” Marchetti reported back from Michigan Works, “and in June it was 9.3 percent. Berrien County was at 12 percent in June and Van Buren, 10.4 percent jobless. The U.S., as a comparison, was 9.1 percent.”
Marchetti also attended the road commission meeting Thursday morning, relaying  that the agency’s contract negotiations with the Teamsters are complete.
“They are waiting for a date for members to vote on the new contract,” she said, adding, “The road commission is focusing on their federal contracts. Twelve have been completed, with six to go. All of the chip and seal has been done, 20 miles of it, by St. Joseph County. So far, 41 tons of asphalt have been laid in Cass County and 10 miles of gravel overlay has been put down. Finally, the display at the fair was very successful. There were many positive comments and kids enjoyed climbing” the huge pieces of equipment.
Commissioners voted to change the Cass County personnel policy regarding  earned time off (ETO) effective Oct. 1.
Each employee of record on that date will be credited with 84 hours and cannot have more than that at any one time in their bank.
New employees hired during the year receive a pro-rated benefit.
Based on each employee’s ETO balance on Sept. 30, the county will pay the employee 60 percent of their unused ETO balance up to a maximum of 64 hours.
This benefit will be payable in October at the employee’s then current rate of pay.
A companion motion approves a 100 percent payout of ETO balance as of Sept. 30, 2011, for eligible non-union employees in October at the employee’s then current rate of pay.
Commissioner Gordon Bickel, R-Porter Township, related that the Historical Commission’s next meeting will be in Edwardsburg at 4 p.m. Sept. 8.