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Read comments (11)A motion to recommend the supplement and pass it on to Bedford County Board of Commissioners for approval failed 3-1-2, with Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman, Bobby Vannatta and Janice Brothers voting in favor; J.D. "Bo" Wilson opposed; County Mayor Eugene Ray and newly-elected committee chair Joe Tillett not voting. School Superintendent Ed Gray was absent.
The sheriff's department had first asked for the supplement back in April, saying that two employees hired as secretaries have now taken on additional dispatch duties, and the committee said at that time to make it a part of the department's 2008-2009 budget request. But an unusually-tight budget year meant that many department budgets were cut from their 2007-2008 spending levels.
Tony Barrett, a sheriff's deputy and a member of the county commission, brought the request back Tuesday night, saying that the sheriff's department has enough extra money in its budget to fund the request because of some employee turnover which replaced veteran employees with entry-level ones making less.
"There's no doubt in my mind that it's fair to these ladies," said Barrett.
Finance committee members, however, questioned whether other county departments would object given the tight budget situation.
In other discussion Tuesday night:
Fuel costs
County Finance Director Robert Daniel reviewed the July gasoline, diesel and maintenance costs for county departments as requested by the committee. However, some of the figures weren't very useful; some county departments had topped off their own in-house fuel tanks before the end of the 2007-2008 fiscal year and didn't spend anything on gasoline or diesel during the month of July.
The committee discussed the relative merits of departments maintaining their own fuel tanks versus contracting with a fleet management fuel provider like Pacific Pride. Fleet management helps safeguard against theft or misuse, but for some outlying schools or emergency departments the cost of driving into town for fuel makes it less attractive.
Daniel noted that a new tank being installed at Bedford County Emergency Medical Services' airport station features the best of both worlds -- it has electronic controls which require a login and which generate records like those of fleet management fuel providers.
New chairman
Because of the death of finance committee chairman Roger Brothers, a new chairman had to be elected. Vice-chair Gray, who was not present Tuesday night, had declined the job, so Wilson nominated Tillett, who was elected.
"It's big shoes that I come to try to fill," said Tillett.
Bobby Vannatta was elected as vice-chair.
Tuesday was the first finance committee meeting for member Janice Brothers, who succeeded her late husband on the county commission and was appointed to the same committees on which he had served.
Direct deposit
Daniel noted that, because county paychecks will be issued this Friday but the Board of Education office will be closed that day, the school system's personnel director will keep special office hours Friday from 8 a.m. until noon in order to hand out paychecks.
This led to a discussion of requiring that all county employees receive their pay by direct deposit. Several possibilities were discussed, including allowing current employees to be grandfathered in but requiring direct deposit for new hires, or requiring direct deposit after a designated phase-in period. It was claimed that eliminating paychecks would save the county money in check printing costs.
Tillett suggested that Daniel prepare a proposed change to the county's personnel policy and that the issue be discussed with the school board.
Fire funding
Volunteer Fire Services Inc. chief Mark Thomas, who is also a county commissioner, said he is still looking at funding possibilities for VFSI. The tight budget year has led the committee to ask for possibilities for funding VFSI that do not place a burden on city taxpayers who don't normally benefit from VFSI service.
Thomas said he "really would hate to see" a fire tax district, one of the proposed solutions, and said a fire tax district would likely be detrimental to VFSI's community fund-raising, since donors being taxed for the service might not want to donate to it as well.
Insurance meeting
Jim Allison of Duck River Electric Membership Corp. will discuss DREMC's experience with self-insured employee health insurance during a meeting with county officials on Tuesday. The county wants to see whether it could save money through a self-insurance program.
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AS SOMEONE WHO IS KNOWLEDGABLE OF THE MANAGEMENT "ISSUES" AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPT., I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON HOW MUCH A COUPLE OF OTHERS ARE GETTING PAID TO SHOW UP AND LEAVE WHEN THEY WANT TO. THEY NEED TO CUT THEIR PAY AND GIVE THESE GIRLS THE RAISE THEY DESERVE. YOU KNOW "TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM" AS ONE MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE HAS SUPPOSEDLY DONE IN THE PAST. BUT OF COURSE WE WOULDN'T WANT TO "TAKE FOOD OUT OF ANYONE'S MOUTH", ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY GOT A LOT OF MOUTHS TO FEED. TURNOVER RATES SAY A LOT ABOUT A DEPARTMENT. AT THIS RATE, MAYBE ALL DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES CAN GET A RAISE FROM ALL THE MONEY SAVED BY REPLACING "VETERAN" EMPLOYEES WITH ROOKIES!
I only know about this issue from what T-G is printing, but I know that with my previous employer my job description ended saying "any other duties as assigned".. and it was just that, with extras being added all the time --- with NO increase in pay. It could be that's the reason I am no longer there. If you don't think things are right, you have the right to leave. I am quiet sure there are others who like to have that job.
Maybe Robert's Rules of Order didn't see this as a quorum so the vote wasn't valid. No sure. It's been a long time since I brushed up on my Robert's Rules but here is what I found
"if there is clear and convincing proof no quorum was present when business was transacted, the presiding officer can rule that business invalid"
Dispatcher duties require training that secretaries don't normally receive. NCIC training is one. The stress of being a dispatcher plus the hours may also justify this raise. If the Sheriff's Dept adjusted their own budget to cover the cost, then I would have no problem with the approval.
These 2 secretaries at the sheriff's department probably are already making between $13.00 and $15.00 per hour. This is a good wage for Bedford County. Dispatchers are probably paid a little less.
It seems to me that their pay should be reduced during the time spent doing dispatch work rather than being increased.
These secretaries probably do not qualify under the Federal Wage & Hour laws to be salaried or straight time employees,therefore if they are working extra hours (over 40 hours per week) they must be paid overtime at the rate of time and a half.
If they are being paid as salaried or straight time employees and do not qualify under the Federal Wage & Hour regulations, and are required to work extra hours doing dispatch (over 40 hours per week) they can file a complaint with the proper authorities and receive compensation in the form of backpay.
If the Sheriff's Department or any other Bedford County department is found to be working employees as salaried in violation of the Federal guidlines, then due to a previous violation by the Bedford County Government in the late 1980's (sheriff's department working dispatchers under law enforcement exception)that resulted in a few thousand dollars in back pay to the employees. If Bedford County is found to be in violation of this Federal Law again, a fine of not less than $10,000 will be levid against Bedford County. I'm not sure if it is $10,000 for the violation as a group or if it is per employee.
Someone in county government needs to research the wage and hour law, make sure department heads are following the law before the Federal Government gets involved.
Back to he discussion: If the secretaries are doing dispatch work within there 40 hour work week, they are making enough money. If they are working over 40 hours per week and are salaried employees, thats part of the job and are not due extra compensation. If they are hourly employees and are working over 40 hours per week, then they are due overtime pay.
A friend of mine that has some inside contacts at the sheriff's department states that these 2 employees come to work when they want to and leave work when they want to and leave during the day (during working hours)when they want to.
Looks like they have a management problem!!!
I was just curious, was it explained to the employees that they may be required to perform extra duties, such as dispatching? I know I hear Patrol Officers dispatching also, does that mean they will get a raise also? There are many jobs that require employees to more of employees, than what they were hired for. I have heard a secretary, for another dispatch agency in this county, also doing the job of a dispatcher. Does that mean she is getting more money? I have always wonders that, but it has recently been brought to my attention that she has been "DOING" a lot more than being a secretary and dispatching. It just proves to me that there is a lot of things that go on "UNDER THE TABLE" as some agencies in this county.
They say there is money that is left over in the 2007-08 budget year due to turn over. Doesn't any left over money go back into the county general fund??
As for the VFSI fire tax issue, the citizens better watch out!! I believe there are 9 county commissioners that would not even have to pay a fire tax, because they LIVE IN THE CITY!! Why would they care if there was a fire tax or even how much it would be? That is just what this county needs, MORE TAXES!!
Hit enter too quick- I still don't understand when they had 3 in favor how it wasn't passed. I guess they did decide since there were 2 who chose not to vote and the one absent counted against. Still makes absolutely no sense!
The way I looked at it was 3- in favor, 1- opposed (Bo Wilson as always!) 2- not voting and the absent person Mr. Gray wasn't included in the 3-1-2 outcome. So- the not voting and the absent vote wasn't counted as a "No". Its like in sports- listed as Wins- Loss- Tie (In Favor- Opposed- No Vote)
THE WAY THE VOTE WAS ANNOUNCED IN THIS ARTICLE MAKES IT VERY UNCLEAR AS TO THE OUTCOME.THREE VOTED "FOR",ONE VOTED"AGAINST'TWO "DID NOT VOTE",ONE"ABSENT".HOW CAN NOT VOTING COUNT AS"NO"??IS"ABSENT"ALSO A"NO"VOTE?SURE IT WASN'T A TIE???
Yea, ridiculous.
Wow... Our elected officials being afraid to show up and vote to give their employees a raise. Maybe if their salaries were in question they would not have hesitated? Pathetic.