Pay rates and pay increases dominated much of Monday’s Warren County Board of Commissioners meeting.
The meeting, the first since the board voted to move meetings from evenings to mornings, attracted about 60 people, nearly a third of which were county employees. The number of people from the public attending was lower than when the meetings were held at night.
During a discussion of pay raises, Commissioner Ulysses Ross asked County Manager Linda Jones, how the amount of raises were appropriated according to positions.
Some positions were given a 5 percent increase while a person in another department with the same responsibilities may have received a larger pay raise.
Jones stated that while the positions may look the same, their duties were actually different and that there were no discriminatory practices in the way the salary increases were given.
Ross then went on to comment that perhaps a reclassification study for positions should be considered to clear up any confusion, but, Jones was adamant this would not be cost effective for the county.
Commissioner Barry Richardson also stated that he had received numerous calls from disgruntled county employees over the pay increases, but since this was not an agenda item, no vote was taken regarding the idea of a reclassification study.
Talk of raises came about when Bill Davis questioned the raise given to Henry Hayes, director of the Warren County Department of Social Services.
Davis said Hayes was to have received a 13 percent raise, yet the social services board approved a raise of $681, which is lower than the 13 percent.
Commission Chair Clinton Alston, did not answer the question, but stated that the Social Services could set any amount they felt was appropriate. Ross countered that was true, but it was ultimately up to the Commissioners to approve the funding for this increase.
Commissioner Barry Richardson made the motion to approve this $681 increase, bringing Hayes’ salary to a yearly sum of $76,248, and Ross seconded the motion, and it passed 3-2, with Davis Commissioner Ernest Fleming voting against the move.
In other items discussed at Monday’s meeting:
• The Warren County Fire Commission requested the Commissioners dissolve the Soul City Fire Department.
Chevette Brown, a representative of the Soul City department, told the board the fire department has reorganized and is working on updating and restoring the fire department to a operative level. She requested a six month delay on dissolving the fire department.
Ross made the motion to give Soul City six months to reorganize, but Richardson stated six months would not be nearly enough time, so Ross then changed his motion to 12 months.
The vote to keep the Soul City Fire Department in operation was 3-1 with Richardson, who represents the board on the Warren County Fire Commission, casting the dissenting vote.
• A resolution to support turning the Warren County Armory into a cultural arts center was also on the table for the commissioners vote.
Richardson made the motion to ask County Manager Linda Jones to form a committee, working with the Economic Development Commission, to develop a plan and find funding for the cultural arts center. Ross seconded the motion, then requested that his second be removed because he had a question concerning whether the board had actually voted to renovate the Armory into a cultural arts center.
Davis commented that the commission had decided to form a committee to look at this option, Ross then allowed his second to stand and the motion was passed unanimously.
• The board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing application for financing the library and community meeting Room at a cost of $2,101,490.
• An amendment to Warren County’s Flood Control Ordinance was unanimously approved.
• Appointed Thomas E. Echols Jr.to the Economic Development Commission on a 3-1 vote, with Ross opposing. The appointment came after a motion by Richardson to appoint Herbert Burrows of Norlina died, and after a motion by Ross to appoint Myrlin Mimms died.
• Unanimously appointed Alston to serve as the commissioner liaison to the Vance Granville Community College Board of Trustees.
• Unanimously appointed John Earl Alston to the Kerr Tar Hub Board of Directors as the commissioners’ designee.
• Rescheduled a work session for April 30 at 5 p.m.