Fleet director pushes for higher pay for mechanics, council asks WIS review of classifications

Johnson County fleet director Bob Belinski urged the council Friday to increase pay for fleet mechanics, saying the shop’s work saves the county money by avoiding outside contractors. Belinski said mechanics perform upfitting, wiring, and fabrication — work that previously cost thousands of dollars when outsourced.

“Your mechanics are putting those pieces of equipment in on top of their other duties, more duties that we already do, usually in about a day and a half of salary. So you figure if we did 10 or 15 of those a year… it’s big savings,” Belinski said.

Belinski asked councilors to consider targeted increases for foreman and mechanic positions. Council members and staff responded by saying the county will follow the WIS salary study process already adopted this spring and that job descriptions and classifications should be rechecked. Several commissioners said they will request a formal WIS review of Fleet’s job descriptions and longevity factors to determine whether certain roles should be reclassified or retitled — a step they said would preserve consistent pay policy while addressing Fleet’s retention concerns.

Commissioner Brian Barrett told Belinski the proper approach is to “follow the WIS study as you have” and then open the formal process to adjust classifications. The council later approved an amendment to adopt WIS‑aligned salary numbers for Fleet in the near term; Belinski and council liaisons agreed to continue conversations on longevity, certification, and a formal reclassification process.