New contract with Sheriff’s employees requires residency in county

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 May 2016 at 12:00 am

ALBION – A new contract that gives 2 percent annual raises to about 60 employees in the Sheriff’s Department will also require any new employees live in Orleans County.

The County Legislature approved the contract for 2016-2018 last week, following ratification by a union representing workers in the county jail, civil clerks and dispatchers at the Sheriff’s Department.

This is the first contract where the county is making new hires to live in the county, although some department heads currently have that requirement.

“We feel we will get a better product for the community if the employees are invested in the community,” said Chuck Nesbitt, the county chief administrative officer.

County officials pushed for the residency requirement because many of the corrections officers and other civilian staff live outside of the county. The existing employees won’t be required to move within Orleans to keep their jobs. The contract includes employees hired beginning on April 27, when the Legislature approved the deal.

Nesbitt said the county may implement the residency requirement in other union contracts.

“It will probably be a continuing theme,” he said today.