Published: May 09, 2008 12:38 pm         

First pay raise in 2 years for Co. employees

The first reading of the 2008-2009 fiscal year budget reflects all full-time county employees receiving a raise for the first time in two years. The proposed increased is 50 cents an hour.

Judge-executive Jim Nickell and magistrates discussed the proposed budget Thursday at a special-called meeting that will be sent to the state for approval. A second reading is scheduled for June 17.

Among line items on the budget was $10,000 to go toward the Rowan County Arts Center. That money will be matched by the city, Nickell said.

Magistrate Troy Perkins voiced concerns that he didn’t think $20,000 would be enough. Nickell said with the $1.7 million debt the county is paying for the center, the amount allotted would have to do.

“This is the second year we have paid on the debt and they have not paid one cent back,” Nickell said. “We can amend money to them if needed, but I want to see a revenue sheet.”

Perkins said the $20,000 wouldn’t cover utilities and pay the one paid employee at $300 each week. “We did the right thing by restoring that building, and we should keep it open,” he commented. “If we don’t fund them the doors will have to close, and I don’t want to see that happen. That one paid employee has no benefits and pays their own Social Security. It’s a contract labor job.”

Nickell said the county would continue to support the arts center but suggested cutbacks on utilities such as the lights being turned off when not in use. “They have to live like everyone else and live within their means,” Nickell said. “I have gone by there after dark and every light in the place would be on.”

Meanwhile, according to the proposed budget, the net increase in the overall budget will be $14,060, said County Treasurer Michele Jessee.

Coal severance money of about $40,000 also was discussed. Nickell said he wasn’t able at this time to add coal severance money to the county’s budget. “The trucking companies are putting down the routes they take, but they are not documenting any roads in Rowan County,” he said. “I have completed a spread sheet and given it to the police for them to get the names of the trucking companies passing through our county with coal, so that we can’t get it taken care of.”

Magistrate Ray White said he doesn’t want to see the county lose that amount of money.

Nickell said the budget does not include extra money from grants that will be collected by the county throughout the fiscal year. “We wait until that comes in before we amend it in,” Nickell said.

Jessee said there is a projected $72,000 carryover in the road fund that made the budget balance. “We will be able to amend in July and we will have more money,” she said.”

Nickell said the county would know more about the budget following the state’s approval.

“The county budget is just a projection of our expenses,” Nickell said. “I have to send it to the state and if they see something wrong, they will send it back. I want everyone to know that I have talked with Rep. Rocky Adkins and Sen. John Will Stacy, and both have said there isn’t any money to give out right now. Everything is tight and we have to work with it the best we can.”