Hope Herrington confronted the Board of Supervisors over rescinding the vote for raises for her employees. In September, the supervisors voted to allow Hope to give her employees raises but rescinded the vote in October until they could hire a new county administrator to see what moneys are in the departmental budgets. The supervisors hired Steven Myrick, CPA, to comb through the financials until a county admin can be hired.
Hope’s argument is there is money in her budget due to losing employees that were higher paid than the current employees, which leaves extra money in her budget for raises.
“Your (new) budget had to be approved before you set the millage rate,” stated Hope. “There is no way you can set a millage rate without a budget. I had to have the new milage rate by Sept. 15 which I received. So, you’ve got a budget. It looks very bad on us to have told my employees that you (supervisors) approved a raise for them. Can you imagine how angry they have been and how their families have been angry? What does it look like that you gave your two girls a raise, but yet, you rescinded the motion to give mine?”
Supervisor Darrick Marshall stated they know there is a 25 cent raise in the budget but are unsure of exactly how much else is there.
“We do have a budget, but she only put in .25 raise for employees,” said Marshall. “We didn’t have an itemized budget of each individual department. We were in a crunch to approve the budget. That’s what Stephen Myrick is working on until we can get a county admin.”
Herrington stated she has always been careful to not go over her budget and that the law states she is able to give her staff raises.
“We skimp and barely get by with all of our supplies so we don’t go over budget,” stated Herrington. “As far as I remember, we have never went over budget. The money is left in our budget, so its only fair we can share if we get the opportunity. We’ve only done this one other time in 2016. The law says I can do it. We’ve done this before Mickey, and you said well, we will just cut her budget next time. I wrote that down. The money is in my budget! I’m not going to change your minds, and I’m not going to stand here and argue with you. You didn’t rescind your girls a raise, but you rescinded mine, end of story.”
Further into the meeting, Larry Conley interrupted the supervisors to complain about his driveway not being fixed and no one returning his calls. Road Manager Brian Dace stated they have not had time to fix it. Dace has been out more than once to look at it and got differing opinions on how to fix the problem. “Like I said, as soon as we have time, we will address the issue to the best of our ability,” stated Dace.
In other business, the Supervisors approved:
• To send election commissioners to certification training
• To hire a person for the garbage truck full time
• To pay for the audit from 9/1 to 9/30 for $10,905.30
• To send Porscha Jones to certification training
• To purchase VA Services a computer
• To pay the invoice from Wells Marble $10,627.50 for the BTH litigation
• Received three resumes for the county admin job and will interview those candidates Monday, October 25. Lisa Harris was hired as County Administrator and Dayona Mollett as Board Secretary on Monday.
• Approve the MS Development Authority CAP Loan for five fire trucks
• Approved to move Chelsea Bonner to tax appraisal office to fill position, per Hope Herrington.
• To purchase five more fire trucks in the future. According to EMA Director David Sharp, if they sign now, it will save a lot of money in the future. The supervisors will not have to pay for the trucks until they get ready to order them, but the lower price will be locked in.
• To purchase lights for Sharp’s truck for around $2200
• Open bids for CR 130 bridge. Approved lowest bid from Ellis Dozier - $451,415.50.
The meetings are open to the public. They are held on the first and third Monday of each month in the board room.
