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BOC to consider reinstating Thanksgiving pay for employees

Posted by

Zach Mitcham

in News

Friday, October 1. 2010

Comments (17)

This year, Madison County commissioners took away five out of the 10 paid holidays county employees usually enjoy.

Now, commissioners are considering giving one of those days back: Nov. 26, a Thanksgiving holiday.

The BOC took no action on the matter this week, but the group will consider the proposal again Monday. Commissioner Mike Youngblood offered the suggestion. He said department heads and employees were asked to cut expenses this year and that they accomplished the task.

“They did so and it’s paid off for us,” said Youngblood. “By doing that we haven’t had to raise taxes.”
Youngblood said he didn’t hear any complaints about taking the five holidays from employees.

“We were to the point to do that or either start furloughing or whatever we needed to do to get the budget in line,” he said.

Youngblood said the county is now in solid shape financially.

“This year, the county itself as a whole is in very good shape,” said Youngblood.

He said one day’s pay will make a difference for some employees.

“For what they did for us as a board and the rest of the county, allowing us not to have to raise taxes to make ends meet, I think if we’re coming out a little ahead this year, that we can reinstate one of those holidays,” said Youngblood. “… We’ve got a lot of good employees and they have bent over backwards to help us.”

He said the county should also look at potentially giving another day back to county employees at Christmas if possible.

Commissioner John Pethel spoke against the move. He said the employees deserve the pay but the taxpayers can’t bear more costs.

“I know we have a lot of good employees,” said Pethel. “But what bothers me is, I know we could ask every taxpayer in the county to step to that podium right there and say ‘Yeah it’s O.K., I got my tax notice, I got an increase in taxes. I’m burdened. I can hardly pay my taxes. I have to sell my property sometimes. But y’all go ahead and increase that budget $10,000.’ How many do you think would say that?”

Commissioner Bruce Scogin spoke in favor of the measure, saying the reinstatement of the holiday pay is not a budget increase.

“Actually it’s not an increase in the budget Mr. Pethel,” said Scogin. “It’s shifting around of money that’s already in the budget.”

The board agreed to consider the matter again Monday. They will seek a specific figure on how much the reinstatement of one holiday pay will be.

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#1 cc on 10/01/10 at 04:00 PM [Reply]

Thank you Mr. Youngblood, that one day of pay will diffently make a difference. Especially to those employees whose departments haven't received a pay raise in 3 years.

#2 businessmantoo on 10/02/10 at 03:22 AM [Reply]

Shouldn't have ever been taken away in the first place!
Now go ahead and give them all back BOC. If you want to or need to cut some ones pay, START with your own!

#3 Ben Had on 10/02/10 at 07:37 AM [Reply]

Here's an idea; Get rid of about 25% of these unnecessary government employees, and reinstate all five of the holidays that were taken away for the employees that remain.

I can wait longer than 10 seconds to buy my auto tags. And, let's take a peek in the Building Inspections office at their work load...

Decrease employees, increase production.
Problem solved!

If Youngblood wants to be a real hero, let him come up with some ideas to get more sales tax generating businesses hooked up to the new sewer system in his district.

#4 Anonymous on 10/02/10 at 08:50 AM [Reply]

See, this proves my point. John Pethel is no businessman. If so, he would realize that taking care of your employees is the one of the best things you can do within an organization. If you have happy employees they want to prosper and make your county better.
I am a current MC taxpayor and I would rather have the employees compensated than have something as the recreation department taking those raises. Just my 2 cents.

#5 Just Wondering on 10/02/10 at 03:43 PM [Reply]

County employees have only been receiving half pay for each holiday. 8 hour a day employees getting 4 hours, and 12 hour a day employees getting 4-1/2 hours pay for each holiday. Thanksgiving day and the Friday after are (or were) both paid holidays for county employees. Are they proposing county employees get the whole day on Thursday and the half day on Friday, or just the whole day on Friday? If it's not the day and a half, then it will be just the same as it is now.

Also, I wonder if Mr. Pethel, with all his infinite wisdom, realizes that a large portion of county employees received those same tax notices in the mail a few weeks ago, and contribute to the county coffers too? . . . . Just wondering . . .

#5.1 anon on 10/08/10 at 09:22 AM [Reply]

Yeah, and the 24 hour employees getting 5 hours.

#6 WhatAJoke on 10/02/10 at 04:31 PM [Reply]

It's touching that Mr Pethel is so concerned with over-burdening the taxpayers.

With the hundreds of thousands of dollars he has cost Madison County in lawyers fees and court costs for lawsuits, every employee could have full holiday pay, a raise, and a cruise to the Caribbean.

#7 Murf. on 10/03/10 at 09:51 AM [Reply]

Pethel is an idiot. He will never vote for any monetary increase, because that is his platform at election time. " I have never voted for an increase". He is at the center of all problems in th BOC yet he still got re-elected. I suppose Pethel has a large number of friends to vote for him that have no clue.

#8 Can't Afford It on 10/04/10 at 07:13 AM [Reply]

In these TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES we acan't afford to pay them. Our property taxes are busting us and we are just getting by. Give the Tax Payers the benefits, restore a FULL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION and the employees and all can balance their home budgets accordingly.

#8.1 Anon on 10/08/10 at 09:25 AM [Reply]

Well, If your so worried about your property taxes then you may want to contact your commissioner about the wasted tax dollars at the Rec. Dept. that is the BIGGEST WASTE of tax money in the county !

#8.1.1 Just wondering on 10/10/10 at 08:08 PM [Reply]

How is the Rec Department a waste of money? Giving our kids activites that keeps them physical activity, boosts their social skills, and gives them something good to do instead of all the other things they could be invovled in. Please tell me how this a waste...

#8.1.1.1 Anon on 10/11/10 at 08:07 PM [Reply]

It is a waste because the parents go there and fight and the Sheriffs Deputies have to come and break it up now you tell me what kind of an example that is teaching these kids ? WOW that is boosting their social skills huh ?Futhermore as many years as it has been there it should be self supporting especially when it can take in over $100,000.00 a year on a concession stand !

#8.2 cc on 10/08/10 at 10:01 AM [Reply]

Most of the County employees live in Madison County as well and they are recieving the high property tax notices. The only difference, most haven't had a pay raise and what benefits they did have were cut in half.

#8.2.1 Julie on 10/12/10 at 06:18 PM [Reply]

then maybe they should get another job!

#8.2.1.1 right on on 10/16/10 at 05:14 PM [Reply]

I think if they would hire people that actually live in Madison County that would help the entire county. Why keep the "gossiping" out of county do nothing folks in some of the offices in that complex, they need to stay in own County and start fresh since everyone in Madison County has been there.

#8.2.1.1.1 MC person on 10/18/10 at 08:12 PM [Reply]

Hey how about that conservation tax issue where state I think mentioned nor sure about how it was done. Many are non farming people that get this break. As memeber of farming family I do not like that.

#9 FYI on 10/04/10 at 11:36 AM [Reply]

The county didn't take away the homestead exemption and doesn't have the power to give it back. That was done on a state level and effects ALL of Georgia.

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