Eight of 18 employees in Hamilton County recorder's office who received mid-year bonuses gave campaign contributions to their boss, Recorder Rebecca Prem Groppe.

        The contributions amounted to $1,500.

        Democrat Melanie Bates, who is challenging Ms. Groppe in the November election, said the contributions and bonuses are improper.

        “At best, this is bad judgment,” Ms. Bates said. “Even if it's not against the law, it's just shady. It's just not good public policy to accept employee contributions.”

        Ms. Groppe, who is seeking a second elected term, said there is nothing at all shady about the bonuses. She said they are based on the employees' performance, and not their contributions to her campaign.

        The recorder's office is a $5 million-a-year operation that documents property transactions, deeds, liens and mortgages.

        Under Ms. Groppe, the recorder's office joined a county-wide program that allows employees to be given bonuses twice a year after performance evaluations.

        Ms. Groppe said she does not solicit contributions from her employees and invitations to fund-raising events are not sent to them. Some employees have at tended and contributed of their own free will, she said.

        When Ms. Bates was asked if she would give election-year bonuses if elected, she replied: “I believe the only way it would be proper is if the procedure is spelled out in advance.”

        The current procedure is.

        The recorder's office joined a county-wide “pay for performance” program in 1998, where department heads are given 2 percent of their annual salary budget to disperse to employees in the form of bonuses. At the recorder's office, that amounts to $25,411 per year.

        Employees are evaluated twice a year, graded in eight categories. Once a supervisor and Chief Deputy Recorder Craig Peters agree on the evaluation, it is forwarded to Ms. Groppe who decides how much bonus to give the employee.

        Those bonuses amounted to $14,850 being distributed to 18 employees.

        “Our bonuses are based on a person's salary, productivity and performance,” Ms. Groppe said. “There are cases when people are shut out of pay raises because they've reached their maximum salary range.

        “The supplemental money gives them a little extra so they're not totally shut out.”

        Ms. Groppe's closest staff members were all given excellent evaluations and large bonuses.

        Chief Deputy Mr. Peters contributed $250 through last April and received a $1,500 bonus to go along with an excellent evaluation.

        Finance Budget Director Steve Burns gave $500 to his boss' campaign, and got a $1,300 bonus with his stellar evaluation. Public Relations Director Matthew Carle gave $500 and received a $1,500 bonus.

        Campaign contributions through October will be released next week.

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