Commission Sets Millage Rate
The Jasper County Commission voted 3-2 Monday night to set the county’s millage rate at 16.446 mills, exactly one mill below last year’s tax rate. Commissioners have met numerous times and discussed different scenarios, with Commissioner Doug Luke saying “cut until it hurts,” referring to budget requests, and Commissioner Carl Pennamon being concerned about maintaining fund balance.
All commissioners have weighed in on the various aspects of the budget during the last few weeks, and scenarios presented by County Manager Mike Benton included setting the millage at the rollback rate of 16.671, at the one mill reduction which they eventually chose, and as low as 16 mills. Each option requires cutting into fund balance somewhat to fund the $9,967,090 budget.
Commissioner Craig Salmon made the motion to approve the budget rate of 16.446 mills, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Pennamon. Commission Chairman Gene Trammell voted in the affirmative with them. Commissioners Bruce Henry and Doug Luke voted against the motion, apparently wanting a lower millage rate.
There was much discussion during the budget process about raises for county employees. The county manager put a three percent increase in for most employees (some exemptions), as most employees have not had a raise in eight years. Some of the commissioners want employees to have to have an annual review before they can get the raise. Others wanted it to be a cost of living increase, saying merit raises are tied into performance reviews.
As it was voted on, the raises are in the budget, but departments will not get the money until the commissioners do a budget amendment to move the money to the department after performance reviews are held.
Sheriff Donnie Pope was at the meeting, and he questioned the commissioners requiring him to do performance reviews before getting the money. He told commissioners it was their place to fund his budget, and his job to determine how to spend it. He questioned if the money was in his budget or not.
He suggested the commissioners could require the evaluations for their employees, but said constitutional officers should determine for themselves how the money will be spent.
In other action at Monday’s called meeting, commissioners agreed to go out for bid on a crack-sealing machine to try to maintain the roads in the county. They also agreed to hear Mark Hardison present the county’s 2015 audit at their regular meeting June 6.
Commissioners accepted the low bid from ACS for air conditioning units that need replacing on the roof of the Courthouse. They also agreed to go out to bid for someone to do preventative maintenance on all air conditioning units.
