Leroy Alsup has been the Cowley County administrator for five years. He’s always had a solid contract with the county commission and gotten some pretty good pay hikes on a regular basis.
But, the guy’s never had a real home at the county courthouse, and that’s about to change.
"When I came in 2004, … I was just kind of put in the old commission room," he said. "There was no permanent office arrangement for the county administrator."
The construction of the new jail has resulted in several meeting rooms becoming available and Alsup’s temporary office is getting a $23,000 face lift.
Alsup doesn’t take the lack of a permanent office personally. In fact, he feels commissioners probably wanted to wait after the position was created to make sure they were making the right decision.
"That made sense," Alsup said.
The commissioners have been meeting in a large meeting room down the hall from the office Alsup has been using. The sheriff’s office moved to new administrative offices after the first phase of the jail construction was completed. The county attorney moved from its cramped quarters into the sheriff’s old office. And the computer department moved into the offices the county attorney occupied.
The old computer offices were converted into a meeting room which the commission used before Alsup moved in while his permanent office is remodeled. The project includes dividing the room into two offices so Alsup’s administrative assistant has a place to sit. There is a small closet which opens from Alsup’s office and one failed attempt to use it as an office.
The Wichita construction company performing the work will remove any asbestos that may still be there although Alsup said the cost would be limited. The room will be carpeted to provide some soundproofing for the two offices.
There will be some different faces at different desks once the project is complete. Kristi Imel has been Alsup’s administrative assistant. She is taking the human resources position that Amanda Iverson left earlier this month.
Patty VanEtten, deputy county clerk, is transferring to become Alsup’s new administrative assistant. Applicants for VanEtten’s job have been interviewed.
Whether the county needed a county manager or administrator was debated for more than a decade as faces changed on the three-member elected commission. The commissioners meet on the average of once a week, get a paycheck and are eligible for any benefits full-time employees receive.
The county clerk traditionally oversaw many of the housekeeping chores Alsup now oversees along with his other duties. The commissioners still meet on the average of once a week, get a paycheck and are eligible for any benefits full-time employees receive.
Alsup earned $78,000 annually in 2005. He will earn $90,001.60 in 2009. The county currently has 173 employees. The county funds the District Court operation but the employees are state employees and paid by the state.
County Commissioner Dick Bonfy earned 17,113.68 in 2004; he will earn $17,388.80 in 2009. Commissioner Carmelita Clarkson earned $15,913.68 in 2004. She is completing the last year of her four year term and earned $17,388.80 this year. Alan Groom, who defeated Clarkson in her bid for another four-year term, will begin at $17,388.80.
Commissioner Gary Wilson earned $17,097.60 during 2004. He will earn $18,699.20 during 2009.
The figures were provided by the County Clerk’s Office via a Kansas Open Records request. The commissioner who serves as chair earns a higher salary than the other two. Wilson is currently chair. County officers elected in November will be sworn in Jan. 13.
