Pay raise for county's employees approved
By Barry H. Hendrix Contributing Writer

The Clarke County Commission approved Tuesday a three percent raise for county employees. This will not include public officials, said Commission Chairman Joe Hunt.

The raise will cost the county a total of $82,790 (utilizing monies from the gas tax fund and general fund combined), said County Administrator Annie Deloise Morris.

The raise will not be retroactive to the beginning of the fiscal 2008 budget. Employees also received a three percent raise last year.

"I wish we were in a position to give our employees more," said Commissioner Rhondel Rhone. "They are good employees, and they deserve another increase."

The commission also approved a $3,976 adjustment to the 2008 budget. Morris had found the error in the Appraisal Budget.

In other action from the Tuesday meeting, a resolution was approved to move a county polling place a quarter mile to the Whatley Timber Company on Elmwood Lane. Voting at Precinct 12, Box 1 previously took place at Garrick's Store.

• Commissioners expressed concern over a door being repaired at the Sheriff's Department without a purchase order. The door repair was in the current budget, Morris said, but the sheriff went on and had the door repaired. However, it may only be a temporary fix, she said.

The cost of the bill from Whatley Garage and Welding is $1,165.

"We have these procedures in place for a reason," said Commissioner Bradford. "…You (can't) just turn everybody footloose spending money without getting prior approval, as tight as money is now, I would just like to get them working with us a little closer."

• Clint Hawkins and Johnnie Pearl Mitchell were reappointed to the county Park and Recreation Board.

• A part time, "as needed," security guard was approved for the courthouse, and a temporary paper server for the Sheriff's Department was placed on full time.

• County Engineer Sam Noble reported that the county received a $125,000 emergency watershed protection grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service to repair a collapsed section of the Club Wiley Road in Jackson. Repairs began Nov. 8 and must be completed in 10 days, Noble said. "It's a pretty big project," he said, and the engineer commended the county employees who worked over the weekend. Material was also donated from the City of Jackson Industrial Park for the repair project.

• Approximately $1,000 was approved to send County Emergency Management Director Roy Waite to a National Congress For Secure Communities meeting Dec. 17 and 18 in Washington, D.C. Waite was one of only three in Alabama invited to the meeting.

Commissioner Paul Bradford supported sending Waite to the meeting, saying "you're one of the most well respected EMA directors in this state."

Waite also was recently elected president of the South Alabama Mutual Aid Compact, a partnership to improve reimbursement of first responders in counties south of Montgomery.

• The Clarke County Courthouse will be closed Nov. 22 and 23 for Thanksgiving.

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