Stanislaus County Supervisors Watch

By unanimous vote, Stanislaus County supervisors Tuesday:

• Approved a new contract with no raises for sworn sheriff's deputies, including patrol officers and detectives. A new union representing 180 deputies previously ratified the contract, which runs through the end of 2010, acknowledging the county's financial problems, including a projected $20 million deficit next year. Deputies would become eligible for raises if another unit representing any of the county's employees gets a raise.

• Accepted a $50,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant for groundwater protection. Crews will identify areas potentially vulnerable to contamination as well as locations best suited for drilling wells. About 85 percent of people throughout the county drink well water.

• Approved a redevelopment agency financial report for the fiscal year that ended July 1. The agency's assets on paper increased $2.3 million to $10.4 million, mostly because of a delay in constructing storm drains in Empire and an expectation that the state will take $2.8 million to bridge a school funding deficit.

• Restored assessor Doug Harms' salary because he recently said he will retire in a year instead of seeking re-election. Furloughs approved in April reduced Harms' pay by 5 percent, but leaders exempted retiring workers to preserve their retirement pay. His salary will return to $144,000.

• Agreed to lay off the special operations coordinator in the fire warden's office. Eliminating the coordinator, who monitors special rescue and hazardous material incidents throughout the county, will save $159,000 per year, a report says.