Budget Committee RecommendsAutomatic Pay Hike, Just Like Congress!At a recent county Budget Committee meeting held on Monday May 14th, Budget Chairman Doyle Arp brought up the subject of more pay for commissioners. It appears that some on commission are grumbling about their pay; some feel overworked, underpaid and unappreciated. While the Budget Committee recommended a pay increase for commissioners, the school budget was returned for further cuts!
Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth!
Loudon County has 10 commissioners; they receive $500 monthly/$6000 yearly pay. The Budget Committee discussed how pay had not changed in 15 years. A better question would be, why do commissioners feel that they are entitled to more pay then the state minimum?
State law sets the minimum pay for commissioner’s attendance of authorized meetings. Compensation for a Fourth Class county such as Loudon County is $30 per day unless the legislative body approves a greater amount by resolution. Comparison of other county commission pay
Crunching the Numbers: The day that I attended the Budget Committee meeting, they recommended a 3% pay increase for county employees. However, the Budget Committee recommended that a commissioner’s pay be based on 10% of the county mayor’s salary ($74,400); 10% of that sum is $7440. The difference between $7440 and $6000 is $1,440, an increase of about 24%! When’s the last time that you received an increase in pay of that magnitude?
Budget Committee talks pay hike.
With very little arm-twisting, Greenback Commissioner Bob Franke made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Nancy Marcus to increase a commissioner’s pay based on ten percent (10%) of the county mayor’s salary, yearly. Budget Commitee vote.
Yes – Chairman Doyle Arp, Bob Franke, and Nancy Marcus; No – Don Miller. Chris Park left the Budget meeting early before a vote was taken. If the state does not increase a mayor’s pay raise nothing prevents local government from paying a mayor more money. Trimming the County Budget!Given the school crunch, commissioners should consider trimming all county department budgets. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to follow Knox County’s recommendation of a 2% increase for county employee pay and a freeze in new employee hires.
Important Upcoming dates: May 30, 2007 (Wednesday) – County Budget Workshop, 10:30 AM, Annex in Loudon. Commissioners will review and discuss the FY 07-08 proposed operating budget and Budget Committee’s recommendations. No votes can be taken at a workshop.
June 11, 2007 (Monday) - Adoption of Budget, (Public Hearing - comments on budget) 6:00 PM, Courthouse Annex, Loudon, TN
Get Involved ask for Fiscal Responsibility in county government; Voice your concerns:
Mayor Doyle Arp, Phone: 458-4664 office, 458- 3980 home (Chairman Budget Committee), Email: darp@loudoncounty.org (Chairman Budget Committee) 1st District - Nancy Marcus, Phone: 458-8581, Email: kens300@aol.com Budget Committee member 1st District - David Meers, Phone: 458-2414, Email: dmeers2414@charter.net 2nd District - Earlena Maples - Phone 986-6772, Email: emaples@lcub1.com 2nd District - Shirley Reno - Phone 986-1256, Email: s_reno@bellsouth.net 3rd District - Bob Franke Phone: 856-0303, Email: rdfranke@msn.com (Budget Committee Member) 4th District Roy Bledsoe (Chairman) Phone: 458-2829 5th District Harold Duff - Phone 988-6647, Email: superhbd@aol.com 5th District Chris Park - Phone: 986-1229, Email: cwpark@cvs.com Budget Committee member 6th District - Wayne Gardin, Phone: 988-4433 Email: wgardin@aol.com 7th District - Don Miller, Phone: 458-0658, Email tvdrmiller@aol.com Budget Committee member
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