Budget Committee Revises Recommendation for County Employee Wage Scale Plan

June 25, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Budget Committee has revised its new wage scale proposal for county general employees. Although this plan was adopted Wednesday night, June 22 by the budget committee to be included in the 2022-23 fiscal year budget, an amendment was made for the two employees of the county mayor’s office.

Under a plan presented to the budget committee two weeks ago by Circuit Court Clerk Susan Martin on behalf of her office and the offices of Trustee, Register of Deeds, County Clerk, Assessor of Property, Clerk and Master, and Administer of Elections, employees would receive step raises at a percentage of $82,396 per year, which is what all these public officials will earn next year except for the county mayor who is paid more and the administrator of elections who is paid less. The starting pay in year one for new employees would be at $32,134 and top out after 30 years at $46,142. In addition to the scheduled step increases, salaries of all employees of these offices would automatically increase at the same percentage as their employer (office holder) when he or she gets a raise by the state.

According to a motion made by budget committee member Beth Pafford Wednesday night, the two county mayor’s employees would receive step raises at a percentage of $95,168 which is what the salary of the county mayor will be next year and top out after 30 years. As with the other employees, the county mayor’s staff would automatically receive the same percentage increase in pay by the county as the county mayor’s percentage salary increase when he gets a raise by the state.

“I would make a motion that we base their (county mayor employees) salaries off the county mayor. We are fortunate that the county does not have to pay for a financial administrator to do the line items (because of the work of these employees),” said Commissioner Pafford.

Commissioner Scott Little offered a second to the motion and it was adopted on a 4-1 vote. Budget committee members Sabrina Farler and Anita Puckett joined Pafford and Little in voting for it. Commissioner Jeff Barnes voted against it. Budget committee members Jenny Trapp and Julie Young were absent.

A similar proposal was adopted six years ago by the county commission but was changed two years later after several county officials complained that the plan was unfair in that the county mayor’s staff was being paid more than their clerks.

The sheriff’s department and DeKalb EMS currently operate under their own pay scale systems previously established by the county and would not be affected by the proposal adopted by the budget committee Wednesday night.

The budget committee also updated the wage scale for full time library employees, the senior citizens center directors, and custodians.

Under this plan, these employees would receive step raises at a percentage of $82,396 per year and get the same percentage increase in pay by the county as the percentage given to county office holders by the state.

These pay plans are subject to final approval by the county commission.

June 25, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Election Office has announced since no candidate qualified for the 4th District Constable vacancy, the office will be on the ballot again in November.

Initially, Eric Ervin, a qualified candidate for school board, had also filed a write-in request with the election office to be a candidate for constable as well.

However, state law prohibits a candidate from seeking two county constitutional offices at the same time, and as a result, the constable vacancy remains.

“I had a few conversations with our state office about this issue and the bottom line is, since Ervin is a qualified candidate for school board, his request to be a write-in candidate also for constable for the August election cannot be approved,” said Dennis Stanley, Administrator of Elections. “Should Ervin lose the school board race, which is obviously an unknown at this point, he would be eligible to seek the constable office in November.”

“Due to the timeframe, both political parties can select a constable nominee for the November ballot by the convention process, or candidates can run as an independent through the petition process,” Stanley said. The qualifying deadline in either process would be Noon, September 14, 2022.”

Candidates for the 4th District School Board race in the August election are Ervin, a Republican nominee; Scott Little, Democrat nominee; and Tony Poss, Independent.

The 4th District Constable became vacant with the death of Paul Cantrell.

June 24, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville Municipal Judgeship is a step closer to becoming a four year rather than a two-year position.

During a special called meeting Thursday evening the Mayor and Board of Aldermen adopted on first reading an ordinance to change the term of the appointed city judge position from two years to four years to be appointed by the mayor and aldermen. If approved on second and final reading following a public hearing at the next meeting, July 11 the new four-year term will begin September 1, 2022.

Other provisions of the ordinance are that the person holding the city judgeship must be at least 30 years of age, licensed by the State of Tennessee to practice law, and must be a resident of DeKalb County. If the appointee should ever move his or her location outside of DeKalb County, he or she must vacate the judgeship. The salary of the city judge must be set by the mayor and aldermen prior to the term and cannot be changed during the term of office. During the absence or disability of the city judge, the governing body may appoint a city judge pro temp to serve until the city judge returns to his or her duties. The city judge must take an oath of office and be bonded.

Since 2006, the municipal judgeship has been a two-year term position with the judge being appointed by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. The salary is $1,000 per month. Prior to 2006 the city judge was elected by the voters of Smithville to an eight-year term.

The incumbent City Judge Gayla Hendrix was appointed to her first two-year term in 2020 and it expires August 31.

The municipal judge primarily hears city ordinance violations.

In other business, the aldermen voted to reapply for a $1.25 million Tennessee Department of Transportation Multi-Modal Access Grant for a sidewalk project on Highway 70 East in the city limits. If approved the city would have to meet a 10% grant match or $125,000. The city has applied for and been denied the grant previously.

The aldermen also updated the city’s personnel policy to include the observance of Juneteenth which is now a federal holiday every June 19. The city observed the holiday this past Monday.