Carroll County Quorum Court held a special meeting last week to provide raises for jailers to head off the possibility of the jail closing because of insufficient staff. Monday night, justices of the peace revisited the question of which members of the jail staff would receive the raises.
The JPs had authorized a two-dollar raise, along with a deferred $500 bonus, but the raises only applied to the lowest-paid jailers. The increases would have paid jailers more than some supervisors, and JPs voted this week to cover more employees with that raise.
“This was an oversight. I agree that supervisors should make more than the people who work for them,” JP Chuck Olson said.
Although JPs passed raises for more jailers, they still expressed some reservations about other workplace issues at the jail that might affect turnover. JP Craig Hicks said, “I don’t personally think this came from the employees at the jail,” but acknowledged that the county must try to keep pace with the current labor market.
In other business:
- JPs had heard from a county resident regarding serious problems with a neighbor’s dog, and passed an ordinance Monday night outlining procedures for dealing with vicious dogs. JP Duane Coatney asked about making the ordinance more general, to cover big cats or snakes. The other JPs voted against his proposed amendment, leaving the ordinance specific to problem dogs. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Allgood said he had drafted the ordinance based on similar ordinances in the region, and the language of the ordinance specifically dealt with dogs. The JPs made clear that this ordinance dealt with vicious dogs, not nuisance dogs.
- An ordinance authorized the airport to receive a grant of $10,000 from a fund for airport Coronavirus relief.
- An account was established to receive funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and track how those funds are spent. Treasurer Makita Williams said these funds may come in over the next three years.
- An account was established to receive grant funds for the Carroll County Health Unit.
- The office of the public defender received $2,700 to replace two computers. JP Jack Deaton said he checked to see whether the county or the state would be responsible for the computers, and they fall into the county’s responsibility.
- JPs approved $9,000 for a storage unit to hold evidence. The building will be in a secure area at the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office. Olson explained that the evidence holding area originally established is full, and overflow evidence has been held in other areas of the CCSO. Coatney said it would make more economic sense to build something permanent, but others pointed out the immediate need. JP Don McNeely also noted that construction costs are currently almost triple what they should be.