June 29, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
Answering his critics!
DeKalb County Road Supervisor Danny Hale addressed the county commission during Monday night’s regular meeting to defend his department after receiving some criticism from members of the commission at the meeting last month.
“I wanted to make sure I was here tonight because I didn’t get to be here last month and there seemed to be a lot of controversy over our budget. I wanted to be here tonight in case there was any further controversy. Last month there were a couple of commissioners who questioned our work ethics. I don’t appreciate that. I think the world of all of you. I appreciate your support. One actually got on social media and dogged me. I desire your prayers instead of you condemning me,” said Road Supervisor Hale.
The issue arose in May prior to county commission action on a budget amendment of $30,000 from the category of highway bridge maintenance to employee benefits, insurance. This procedure of moving money from one category to another is routine in any department, especially toward the end of a fiscal year, when one line item runs short of funds to finish out the budget year. The commission gave its approval for the budget amendment at the May meeting.
Before taking the vote, Fifth District Commissioner Jerry Adcock questioned the move and added that he was getting complaints about the highway department from the public.
“There seems to be a lot moving (funds) from highway maintenance like bridges and stuff like that over to the employee side (budget). Our roads are kind of in bad shape. I don’t know how bridges look. I don’t mind taking care of the employees but that’s one of the biggest issues I have questions on from constituents in the county. Almost every week I get a phone call, not just from my district, but other districts about people asking what’s going on with the road department. I ask what do you mean and they (constituents) tell me the road department people say they don’t have enough money”, said Commissioner Adcock.
First District Commissioner Julie Young added “I’d like some clarification as to why it (transfer of funds) is not coming from another line item other than highway and bridge maintenance”.
“I want to second what they (Adcock and Young) have said because I am catching that (public criticism of the highway department) all over. They ask me why is the work not being done. We don’t see them. I am just passing along what I am hearing also,” said Second District Commissioner Myron Rhody.
Fourth District Commissioner Janice Fish Stewart defended the highway department saying they had been working in her district.
“In defense of the road department they have done quite a bit of work lately in some very unsafe areas in the fourth district. I have talked to my constituents. I have had several call me and say thanks for the roads. They are doing some things. They may be back on the side of the hill and we can’t see them and we don’t know what they are doing but I do know down in the fourth district they have made some significant improvements. Better than they have been in 30 years is what one gentleman told me. I just want you to know that. They are working,” said Commissioner Stewart at the May meeting.
“I want to thank Commissioner Stewart for standing up for me and telling how our men worked in her area last month. She said some of her people said it was the most work they had seen there in 30 years. We do that every day so if anybody has any questions about our work ethic come and spend a day with us. We’ll be glad to show you any of it,” said Road Supervisor Hale Monday night.
During a budget committee meeting June 17, Road Supervisor Hale made a request for more funding of his department in the 2021-22 budget year and while he wants almost one million dollars in new revenue ($991,520) which is the equivalent of a 16 cent property tax increase, Hale insists he was misunderstood by the media and others and isn’t asking that the county raise taxes to meet his request. He only wants the county to try and find the money for him from somewhere.
Although the road department is primarily funded by allocations from state sources such as gasoline and motor fuel tax, state aid program, and the petroleum special tax, it also benefits from a local mineral severance tax and the county currently kicks in four cents of the local property tax rate which, according to the 2020-21 budget comes to about $190,000 a year.
Still, Hale said that is not near enough to do the work needed.
The budget committee has not yet acted on Hale’s request.