Kendall commission votes to keep 16 paid holidays

Kendall County employees will enjoy the Jan. 1, 2024, federal holiday, like most of the rest of the country. But they will be back to work on Jan. 2 after Kendall County Commissioners Monday voted to keep its local and federal holiday count to 16 days next year.

County Judge Shane Stolarczyk proposed adding three days to the county holiday schedule for days that “fall on days when elected officials tend to release employees anyways,” saying it was not fair for some to have to work while others were released.

The additional days were going to be January 2; November 27, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving; and December 26, the day after Christmas. The federal holiday calendar already allots Nov. 28-29 for Thanksgiving, and Dec. 24-25 for Christmas.

“Some people get released and others have to work,” Stolarczyk said, “and it just didn’t sound like an economic use of our resources in keeping the courthouse and some of our departments open those days.”

He reminded commissioners of their creation of Kendall County Fair Day (Aug. 30, 2024), “a huge benefit to our employees and the fair.”

Stolarczyk said being able to retain good employees with benefits such as the Fair Day holiday helps to boost morale and gives the county a slight edge for its employees.

But the commissioners turned down Stolarczyk’s request, citing the need for open county offices, and the appearance of too many days off when compared to many businesses around town.

Commissioner Richard Chapman recapped holidays given over the past four years, ranging from 13 to 15 days for 2019-2022.

“I want to retain the good employees we have,” Chapman said. “By the same token, we represent the taxpayers, and to go out here and say we’re going to give 19 paid holidays I think is not representing the taxpayers. I cannot support that.”

He proposed eliminating the days Stolarczyk wanted to add: Jan. 2, Nov. 7 and Dec. 26, and keep the originally planned 16 days, which he said already gives county employees more days off than before.

Commissioner Chad Carpenter agreed with Chapman’s statement. He said as a private businessman, county employees received holidays off already that small-business owners rarely can afford to honor.

“We’re a government entity. Even if we’re lightly staffed, it’d be better to be open some of these days than be completely shut down,” Carpenter said.

“It’s not only looking out for the money of the taxpayers,” Commissioner Andra Wisian said, “it’s also looking out for county residents who come here to do business.”

Commissioner Christina Bergmann made it a clean sweep by backing her fellow commissioners’statements.

“I had a conversation with a title company (representative) who said when the county is closed, you can’t get anything certified through the clerks’ office,” Bergmann said. “It throws off certain things, and we need to keep that in mind. It puts a hardship on them to get things done when the county is closed.”

The commission subsequently cast its 5-0 to keep the list of holidays trimmed to 16 days off next year.