Danielsville council approves raises

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Danielsville council approves raises

Posted by

Margie Richards

in News, Top Stories

Saturday, January 3. 2009

Comments (19)

The Danielsville City Council passed its 2009 budget 3-1 Monday night, which includes a 5.8-percent increase for city employees. Councilwoman Junne Temple provided the “no” vote.

Council members, with the exception of Temple and Janice Merk, who both declined an increase, will also receive a five-percent raise in their salaries for 2009.

“I am but one voice,” Temple said before the budget vote. “I just feel that to be fiscally responsible, we need to scale back some.”

City clerk Connie Riley pointed out that any funds from council members who declined their increase will go back into the city’s contingency fund, which currently stands at $14,664, according to the budget printout.

City attorney Victor Johnson said Tuesday that the sitting council in 1998 voted that future councils could receive a five-percent increase in their salaries annually. The rule took effect following the next elections in 2000.

According to Georgia law, city councils cannot vote to increase their own salary, but they can vote an increase for future council members. However, since the 1998 council voted to allow annual five-percent raises, current council members are eligible to receive that increase.

Johnson reminded the council Monday night that the budget is a fiscal guideline that they can vote to adjust as needed throughout the year.

In a separate matter, councilwoman Barbara Dove announced that she plans to resign from her council seat, though she has yet to set an exact date for her resignation. Mayor Glenn Cross reminded her that she would need to submit a written letter of resignation.

Johnson said Tuesday that a special election will be held on the third Tuesday in March to fill the term of resigning councilman Roger Watson. Qualifying for the position will be held in January or February, Johnson said.

Dove’s seat, however, can be appointed by the council, since she will have served more than 12 months of her two-year term by waiting to resign in 2009, Johnson said. But if she resigns before the special election to replace Watson, there will be only two council members left, along with the mayor, who votes only to break a tie. This would leave the council without a quorum and unable to take action on city business, including appointing a replacement for Dove until after the special election, Johnson noted.

In other business, the council voted to postpone a decision on the size and cost of a proposed sewer line extension to the Griffith House (future home of Madison Animal Hospital) and a vacant lot adjacent to the Golden Pantry on Hwy. 29 South until their regular business meeting next Monday night. An easement for the extension will also be needed.

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#1 Anon on 01/03/09 at 06:41 AM [Reply]

I have to agree with Junne on this one.

#2 Anonymous on 01/03/09 at 08:49 AM [Reply]

What did they do, find the missing money?

#3 anon on 01/03/09 at 01:53 PM [Reply]

Funny, another person had left a very insightful comment here earlier, but it appears to have vanished...hmmmm

Deleting comments that did not contain offensive language and were not argumentative, even though it did not support the views of the paper perhaps, or of the one doing the censoring is not what freedom of speech is about.

My feelings on this raise seems to agree with others, it's a very bad time to vote yourselves a raise! With so many out of work, lower revenues can be expected from sales taxes, and the county decides to pass out raises.

I've lived in this county for 43 years, you would think that eventually someone would get in the position of power that had two brain cells working!

#4 Dave on 01/03/09 at 02:15 PM [Reply]

It appears Banks and Jackson Counties do not have a monopoly with idiot leaders. Here we see the morons handing out raises whille the unemployement reaches a 25 year high. Banks County just increased it's millage rate on taxes by 1.5. Do I hear tax revolt rumblings? California banrupted themselves when the people stood and said NO MORE! When will the idiots running our governments get this messsage?

#5 Klyde on 01/04/09 at 08:54 PM [Reply]

5.8% across the board is out of line. A 4% is considered a great raise considering the economy. A 4% includes a decent cost of living % (2.5 to 3), plus another 1 to 1.5 for good performance. Anything above that seems way off in my opinion, and should require a job reclassification if someone is getting paid too little. What worries me is that the council should look at the big picture. These are annual raises...The employees will now expect 5.8 every year as a "normal" raise. The employees will feel slighted when the council eventually corrects this unwise decision.

#6 Anonymous on 01/05/09 at 02:39 PM [Reply]

Wow, a 5.8% cola raise is absurd. With all the theft issues going on in Madison County, I would think there would be a demotion for most employees. Junne, it seems like you might be the only one with your head on straight here.

#7 Libservative on 01/07/09 at 07:53 AM [Reply]

Well, at least government employees won't suffer a recession.

#7.1 MC Tax payer on 01/07/09 at 12:14 PM [Reply]

No, not all government employees.
ONLY DANIELSVILLE CITY EMPLOYEES. There are 100+ COUNTY employees that won't get even a penny raise this year. They would be thrill for a 2.5% cola raise.

#7.1.1 Like you anonymous on 01/08/09 at 09:52 AM [Reply]

There is a difference in
City workers and county workers....city workers get out
in all kinds of weather to repair pipes and water leaks
and the county workers sit inside when it rains. Might
get wet. None of the council members received a raise
but compare the city workers hourly wages to the county.
Amazing isn't it? Some of the county workers ride
around in a truck and put up signs for supporting
election candidates. Never saw any city workers doing
this.

#7.1.1.1 MC Taxpayer on 01/08/09 at 01:46 PM [Reply]

I NEVER said CITY employees shouldn't get or don't deserve a raise. My response was to #7 and government workers(generalization)won't feel the recession. So...to COUNTY employees sitting inside (again, generalization)while city workers deal with sun, wind, snow, rain - don't forget hail, sleet, tornadoes, etc. Sheriffs deputies & EMS to name a few COUNTY employees do there job in the elements everyday they come to work. Do you really want to compare deputies responsibilities & pay?! Danielsville 2-4 miles, MC County 400+ miles. Take a look at the numbers, it's public record. Yes, there are county employees who have office jobs, like the city clerk/assist clerk do. There is NO question that EVERYONE can use & most deserve a raise. The issue is what is reasonable in the current economy.

#8 sick of all this crap on 01/08/09 at 08:29 AM [Reply]

O.K.All you goody goos, turn in all of your 5.8% cost of living raises. I just love to see other folks beat their drums.

#9 Sans on 01/08/09 at 03:27 PM [Reply]

I don't work for danielsville, nor do I work for any county/ city government, however, I do know a few that do and I personally think before anyone makes a comment, they need to find out what these people are making...from what I DO KNOW.....they are way under paid to begin with and still will find it hard to survive even with this raise. lack of information is whats going on here.....so think twice before you pass judgement on whats right or wrong......these employees are needed and hopefully you want have to live without what they offer in there jobs.

#9.1 Sadie on 01/08/09 at 07:08 PM [Reply]

City workers may be underpaid, however,most COUNTY employees are also.The fact is...these people accepted their jobs at the starting rate offered & more than likely were happy to have the job.I'm sure COUNTY employees would have welcomed a small (1% to 2%) increase if offered,however,the BOC was more concerned about the taxpayers & their hardships.Rightfully so & I agree completely.The COUNTY employees are probably somewhat disappointed with no increase but many have stated that they are blessed to have a job even though no increases will be given in 2009. There may not even be any increases going forward if the economy does not improve,so let's all just count our blessings for what we do have & do our very best to stretch every penny we have.Times are tough & will probably get worse,however,with the grace of God & hard work we will survice.

#10 Anonymous on 01/08/09 at 04:27 PM [Reply]

Underpaid? Do they have benefits? Hardly any employers around here offer benefits, so if you factor that in, they sure didn't need a raise in an economic depression. They should be happy to just have a job. Rescind the raise...the city is going to need that money just to get by.

#10.1 Sans on 01/08/09 at 07:00 PM [Reply]

benefits don't pay the bills, formula and buy the groceries and benefits have co-pays. sounds to me that some people have nothing else to do but grip about something.....these people have to live to and are NOT SITTING ON THEIR HUMP and collecting a check!!!!! they are actually working and providing a service to the public and might I say a public that is so accustomed to getting hand outs and can't even even imagine what it takes to put in 40 hours a week for pennies on the dollar. I really don't understand people anymore to have such thoughts and perceptions of the working class. No wonder things are the way they are.

#10.1.1 epbs on 01/09/09 at 12:55 PM [Reply]

Actually, from what we see, you're right...these employees haven't been sitting on their hump...some of them have been busy STEALING OUR TAX MONEY! Handing out raises to people who already have a job with benefits in a depression is SHAMEFUL!

#10.1.1.1 Understanding on 01/09/09 at 09:26 PM [Reply]

Easy epbs not all of these employees were stealing money,
and they aren't getting these raises handed to them either
they work hard for their money and just because some
people can't keep a job, or for that matter even get a
job does not mean hard working people should be denied a
small raise in appreciation for their dedication to a job.
Good for them for getting a raise. As far as stealing our
tax money, do you know how many people in this county are
on welfare? I would much rather my money go to someone who
is at least working for a living than someone else who
does in fact sit on their rump all day.

#10.1.1.2 Sans on 01/11/09 at 08:12 AM [Reply]

Yep, that's the way to do it.....label them all for something they had nothing to do with. let's just blame the good ones & drag them down....... where's the SHAME in that??????????

#11 Anonymous on 01/25/09 at 09:53 PM [Reply]

I am going to run for Mayor.

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