Two Local Governments Create Job-Share Solution

Jacksonport has had a vacancy for a part-time clerk/treasurer ever since Theresa Cain-Bieri took a full-time position as treasurer for the Town of Gibraltar. Though Cain-Bieri said she’d stick around to help Jacksonport make the transition with the new employee, it’s now been a year, and Jacksonport still hasn’t been able to find someone to fill the part-time position.

Gibraltar, too, could use additional staff to help administer the town’s new Transportation Utility and Tax Increment Financing District.

“We need more office staff, but not another full-time office staff,” said Travis Thyssen, Gibraltar’s town administrator.

Putting half and half together, the two municipalities decided that a job-share arrangement would give both the staff they need while giving the employee full-time employment. The employee would work 60% of the time for Jacksonport, 40% for Gibraltar. The pay and benefits ($48,880 for the salary, plus another $19,741.20 in health insurance, life insurance and Wisconsin Retirement Fund benefits) would be split accordingly. The agreement, which has an initial term of five years, specifies an annual wage increase of 3.5% for the shared employee.

The Gibraltar Town Board approved the arrangement during its July 6 meeting, and the Jacksonport Town Board was set to finalize the agreement during its July 14 meeting, after the deadline for this issue of the Peninsula Pulse.