TheNorthlandNews.com was sent a copy of Clay County Administrator Dean Brookshier’s new contract and old contract from an anonymous source late today.

Click HERE for the 2015 contract, click HERE for the 2017 contract.

There is significant differences between the two contracts. The most obvious difference is the amount of salary increase that Brookshier received.

In 2015, Brookshier received $102,000 per year plus benefits and Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs). For the new contract, he’ll earn $149,000 per year plus benefits and COLAs.

The increase equates to a 44% increase in salary in just two years.

The contract also includes whereas statements in the beginning that state that the employee (Brookshier) has colorable claims against the county with regards to hostile work environment and multiple breaches of contract. The contract also includes an “Employee’s Release” that discharges the County from a potential lawsuit. This seemingly refers to the criticisms that Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte has levied against Brookshier in the past.

We went through both contracts and compiled a list of the differences:

On the 2015 contract there was a required 60-day notice for non-renewal, on the 2017 contract that has been increased to 365 days.

Supervisory authority over all County facilities to include but not limited to alterations, demolition and new construction, determining the location of all personnel and all elected officeholders, and determining who has access to all county property.

Given the ability to recommend all committee appointments. Recommendations are deemed confirmed unless the County Commission refuses with majority vote at next Commission meeting.

Authority over employees were expanded. Includes a line that states, “At no time may the County Commissioners, either individually or as a body, give an order to any County personnel subordinate to Employee, except as otherwise permitted by County ordinances.”

Given the right to determine “when and where Commission meetings are held and to prepare the Commission agenda in any format he deems necessary or desirable in accordance with all applicable laws and ordinances.”

Deemed the official Records Custodian of the County

Old contract included a line about upholding integrity and ethical standards. This does not exist in the new contract.

States “no Commissioner can criticize the Employee’s performance, publicly or in the press, unless a performance evaluation has occurred.”

No longer encouraged membership in any civic clubs or service organizations.

Severance pay for termination without cause increased from 8 months to 18 months.

Receives one month pay for termination with cause.

We reached out to Commissioner Nolte to see if he could comment, he wouldn’t say much, but did state that he was adamantly opposed to the contract and was the only Commissioner who voted against it.

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