County Council members give themselves a three-percent pay cut
Last Updated on 3/20/2010
Published on 6/23/2009
County Council members give themselves a three-percent pay cut
By Tim Callahan
timcallahan01@aol.com
The only change in the $58.1 million county budget, which was approved by council Tuesday, was council volunteered to give itself a three percent pay cut.
Georgetown County Council members make $12,000 a year.
"Tough times have resulted in extreme measures," said Council Chairman Johnny Morant.
"We have had to cut employees salaries three percent. We want to share in the sacrifice that is affecting all of us. We will yield a three percent pay cut, effective July 1."
The budget does not include a tax increase.
No public comment
The third reading of the budget was held Tuesday and there was no public comment.
The budget was on display for the last 10 days at public libraries and the county clerk's office.
Council Members Jerry Oakley and Glen O'Connell said that they had heard nothing from the public since their June 9 budget meeting.
Minimum wage exception
However, two council members were concerned about pay cuts for county workers who are already at minimum wage.
Council Member Lillie Jean Johnson asked if the "hard time people," who are at minimum wage, would have their salaries cut three percent.
"Under no cicumstances will that happen," said Sel Hemingway, county administrator.
Human Resources Director Greg Troutman said that federal law states no one can be paid less than minimum wage, which is $5.85 an hour, so the pay cut would not affect them.
However, he said, minimum wage will be raised by the federal government in July to $7.25 an hour and the county is obligated to pay it.
Laid-off employees
Council Member Leona Miller was concerned about employees who had been laid off -- or cut from full-time to part-time -- in the 2009-2010 budget.
"Will these employees be made aware of positions in the county that come available, and given priority?" she said.
Hemingway said vacancies are being made known internally, to people already on staff.
Troutman said there is no policy that states those laid off or reduced to part-time should be given priority with new jobs, but he encourages them to call his office once a week to check on available jobs, and to regularly check the county government Web site (www.georgetowncountysc.org).
Full- to part-time
Along with the three-percent pay cut for county employees, the budget calls for switching some full-time positions to part-time and eliminating six authorized positions.
Hemingway said that one position each has been cut in the following departments: grants administrator, assessor's office, planning, public works and building. He could not think of the sixth position cut, he said.
The 580 member county work force will also be reduced through retirements and unfilled vacancies, he said.
Balanced budget
Doing these things will save the county about $1.14 million, he said, and balance the budget.
The proposed fiscal year 2010 budget is $7.23 million less than the 2009 amended budget, finance director Scott Proctor said.
Under the budget, some changes from 2008-2009 include: Victim Services' budget would be cut 30 percent, from $263,000 to $184,000; the road improvement fund would be cut in half, from $3.6 million to $1.8 million; and the general government fund would see a 6.2 percent drop, from $22.19 to $20.82 million.
Law enforcement
Law enforcement's budget will increase 12 percent.
The increase is partly due to enlarged responsibilities within the county sheriff's office.
These responsibilities include taking on the 911 communications center budget and picking up a shortfall in the law enforcement emergency telephone system budget.
