Raises included in new Columbiana County Engineer's Office pact

LISBON — Employees in the Columbiana County Engineer's Office will be getting a 38-cent-an-hour pay raise under a new 18-month contract that is retroactive to April 1.

The collective-bargaining agreement negotiated between county Engineer Bert Dawson and his union employees was submitted to county commissioners, who declined to make a decision either way. Under Ohio law, all union contracts involving county offices must be presented to commissioners, even if it has nothing to do with them. Commissioners have 30 days to act or the contract automatically takes effect without their approval.

Under the recently expired three-year contract, engineer employees received 1 percent annual increase, which came out to 20 cents an hour the first year.

Approximately 29 engineer employees are covered by the union contract, but Dawson said it has been his policy to grant the same raises to his 13 nonunion employees and the 11 people who work under him in the county water and sewer department.