A pool of bonus money without strict rules on how to award it sounds to us like a slush fund. Jeffco ought to take a cue from Denver, which awards bonuses and merit pay for initiatives with specific and measurable goals - projects the mayor approves ahead of time.
Jeffco officials say they use the term "bonus pay" as a catch-all. It could include compensation for taking on additional duties or a one- time lump sum. Nomenclature aside, as we mentioned before, this country has been in a recession since December 2007. No matter what you call such adjustments, they're tough to justify in this environment.
And the county has been aware of issues with the bonus pay system. In 2005, Jeffco hired a firm to do a compensation study - a task the company failed to complete. For the record, the county did not pay the firm a dime. Another firm was hired, and a new study is in under way.
At the end of 2006, then-treasurer Paschall allegedly offered a $25,000 bonus to a top aide with the promise that she split the post-tax proceeds with him. Two juries deadlocked on a charge of compensation for past official behavior and prosecutors declined to try Paschall a third time. At the time, officials said they were considering bonus policy changes.
We hope the county follows through this time and puts into place a unified and justifiable system. In the meantime, it might help if officials turned off the cash spigot.
