Bonuses for elected officials cause tempers to flare

By Lisa Majors-Duff

A difference of opinion on longevity pay for elected officials caused board members to raise their voices and issue allegations. Commissioner Conrad Burrell, who is known for maintaining a calm disposition, became agitated when Chairman Jay Denton suggested Burrell's 28 years of service - 24 as register of deeds and four as a commissioner - should not be considered as grounds for longevity compensation.

"Are you saying, Jay, that I didn't work hard for that and that I don't deserve it?" Burrell asked.

"I'm saying you are an elected official and you were compensated for doing a job. I think it's wrong for elected officials to receive (longevity)," Denton said. "This is for career employees. I don't think the taxpayers would like to see (elected officials) get longevity pay."

"After eight years, that's pretty much their career," said Commissioner Stacy Buchanan, who suggested longevity should go to "career politicians" after they are elected for a third term.

Board members revisited the idea of longevity pay for elected officials Monday at the request of Commissioner Roberta Crawford after a decision on the issue appeared to have been reached last Thursday (June 20). At that time board members agreed longevity would be paid to county employees on their second anniversary and at the percentage of time currently being worked.

For example, if a employee has been working with the county for five years, he or she would receive $250 on his or her employment anniversary. If that same employee only works 50 percent time, he or she would receive $125.

Board members agreed by consensus last week that elected officials - themselves, the sheriff and register of deeds - would not be considered for the supplement. The clerk of court is an employee of the state.

"I like the longevity plan, except for commissioners," Crawford said during last week's meeting. "I would have a hard time taking longevity pay." By Monday Crawford had changed her mind on the subject. Her new stance received backing from both Buchanan, who was not present for last week's discussion, and Burrell.

Burrell, whose sole concern last week was that first-year county employees not be considered for longevity pay, maintained he should receive the bonus pay.

"I'd rather it started after five or 10 years," Burrell said last week. "Longevity, to me, is something you ought to work toward. I don't think you should get it after one year or two years or three years."

Commissioners Denton and Franz Whitmire remained steadfast in their opposition to longevity compensation for elected officials.

The issue was resolved with a 3-2 vote on a motion from Crawford to include elected officials with eight or more years of service in the longevity pay plan.

With the longevity pay plan revisions, Burrell will be the only Jackson County elected official qualified to receive the supplement. At 40 percent time, which is commissioners' working status, Burrell is set to receive $560 for 28 years of service, according to the budget.

Burrell, who served as register of deeds for 24 years, retired from the position at a salary of $51,041. Also at his retirement, he received an annual leave payment for 30 days of $5,889.38.

As a commissioner Burrell receives $9,521 annually, health insurance benefits totalling $6,009, and the county contributes 1 percent to his 401(k).

The split vote on longevity pay established a trend for the remainder of Monday's meeting. While the majority of the votes to follow received unanimous approval, board members locked horns on several other issues, including staffing proposals and funding for a new program at Smoky Mountain High School.

The rift - with Buchanan, Burrell and Crawford on one side, Denton and Whitmire on the other - widened as the evening progressed and discussion turned to how new positions within county government would be filled. After the threesome rejected a request from finance officer Darlene Fox to allow a health department employee to transfer into her office, Denton and Whitmire questioned why land records supervisor Bobby McMahan was being recommended for a position within the tax assessor's office. Why should the finance position be advertised if the same treatment was not being given to the assessor's position, the two asked.

Tensions escalated again when Commissioner Buchanan questioned the need for the county to employ a information technology specialist as opposed to continuing to contract for the service.

"Jackson County has one of the least number of employees working on IT," said Denton, who suggested a combination of employee/outside assistance be used to bring county services to the Internet. "I think it would be an unwise move to remove the position from the budget."

But that's what happened, again by a 3-2 vote, after county Manager Ken Westmoreland interjected that he'd received a proposal from Metrostat Technologies that indicated the Sylva company could provide the county's technology services.

"I've always been in favor of contracting with Metrostat," said Crawford.

The board's final split decision came in response to a request from the Jackson County Board of Education for some $108,000 to initiate a Freshman Transition Program at Smoky Mountain High. SMHS teacher Buchanan, Burrell and Crawford asked Westmoreland to investigate the possibility of entering into a contract with school officials that would stipulate the county would not be obligated to continue funding the project unless measurable reductions in the county's dropout rates could be proven. Only with a contract, the three agreed, could the county avoid the state's maintenance of effort clause with regard to its contribution to the local school system.

Denton and Whitmire, both veterans of the local school system, disagreed with funding for the project, which they called "unproven." Further they pointed out that it would be considered "politically unwise" in the future to cease funding a program that employed four teachers at the high school.

Continuing the volley, Buchanan countered by saying the four teachers would be absorbed into the system through retirements if the program were discontinued. In addition, the county could potentially save money in the form of federal assistance to those who leave school early by spending it up front, he said.

"I just think it's a bad idea to create (teaching) positions while the state has a hiring freeze on," Denton said.

Once again he and Whitmire were outvoted 3-2 on a motion by Buchanan to put the funds into contingency until such time as it is determined if terms outlining the county's expectations can be spelled out in a contract with the school board.

"The (dropout) rate ought to drop substantially for it to be considered a successful program," Burrell said. "This should be included in the contract."

Favorable unanimous decisions reached by the board included the following:

- Funds will be made available to hire six jailers. In addition to the four proposed positions, Sheriff Jim Cruzan has agreed to exchange a jail secretary for a jailer; funds for the sixth would be available due to savings realized by the later-than-expected opening of the facility in November. - Community Health Link will receive $10,000 requested.

- Two positions within the tax collector's office will be given title promotions and $1,500 raises each for a "guaranteed return" of some $200,000 collected annually in delinquent taxes, according to Westmoreland.

Requests not approved by the board, also in unanimous fashion, included the following:

- Funds in the amount of $75,000 were removed from the budget for the Cullowhee Volunteer Fire Department to move its headquarters and incorporate a community development center at a location on N.C. 107.

- Webster Enterprises will not receive some $40,000 it requested for operating expenses.

- ABC funds in the amount of $40,000 will not be transferred to the town of Sylva, as was requested by Mayor Brenda Oliver.

- The Cashiers Area Humane Society will not receive $12,000 to assist with its spay and neuter program.

In addition to approving the nearly $36.5 million budget, which holds the tax rate at 48 cents per $100 valuation, commissioners agreed to accept a third half-cent sales tax as soon as it's made available by the N.C. Legislature, which could be as early as August, Fox said. The sales tax money will come to the county to replace revenues previously doled out by the state from taxes collected on such items as business inventories and intangible personal property.

Approval for the additional half-cent sales tax to go to the counties has already been reached by the Senate, and the House appears ready to follow suit, said Fox, who indicated the change should result in a net gain for county coffers of about $500,000 annually.

The next meeting of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners has been rescheduled for Thursday, July 11, to avoid a conflict with the Fourth of July holiday. The meeting is set to get under way at 7 p.m. at the Justice Center.

Back to Archive: 06/27/02.