June 19, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
Assessor of Property Shannon Cantrell may get more help for his office.
During Tuesday night’s meeting, the budget committee of the county commission voted 3 to 2 to fund a new position for the Assessor’s Office in the 2018-19 budget. Members Jack Barton, Larry Summers, and Jerry Adcock voted in favor. Wayne Cantrell and Jimmy Midgett voted no.
The action is subject to final approval of the county commission with passage of the budget in July.
The Assessor currently has three clerks working for him. This move would give him a fourth employee. A new employee in the Assessor’s office would start out earning $26,785 per year.
The decision by the budget committee is a reversal of a vote taken on Thursday, May 31 concerning the assessor’s request. At that meeting, the committee recommended that no new spending be included in the general fund for the 2018-19 budget except for pay raises already approved earlier this year for county employees and anything mandated by the state. Requests from the Assessor of Property and County Clerk for an additional full time employee for their offices were denied along with a request for more local funding for the Recovery Court and a proposed increase in salary for the EMS director. The vote was 3 to 1. Members Wayne Cantrell, Jimmy Midgett, and Jerry Adcock voted in favor. Jack Barton voted no. Larry Summers was absent.
During the following meeting on Monday, June 4, budget committee member Jack Barton made a motion that the committee revisit the Assessor’s request at a later meeting and take another look at the overall EMS budget regarding salaries. Barton’s motion was approved.
Barton said Tuesday night he is convinced Cantrell should have another employee.
“I really believe Shannon gave a good presentation to the budget committee in a previous meeting of how he would utilize an additional employee in generating some new tax revenue for the county by getting out and inspecting homes, properties, and all that. His presentation was compelling as to why he doesn’t have enough employees to bring in the revenue,” said Barton.
Based on the number of parcels in the county at more than 18,000, Cantrell contends he is entitled to a fourth employee under state law. Others say the law provides for an employee per 4500 parcels, after the first 4500 parcels.
“Shannon is over 18,000 parcels and is into his statutory need for an extra person. By law for every 4,500 parcels the assessor can have an employee. The first 4,500 parcels is under him (Cantrell) but all the subsequent 4,500 parcels are for his clerks. He is beyond 18,000 by a couple of hundred so he is into his next 4,500 parcels,” said Barton.
The budget committee did not re-consider the County Clerk’s request for an additional employee.
As for the EMS budget, Barton said too much was allocated in certain categories for salaries beyond what the county commission had authorized earlier this year.
“I felt like based on the (pay) plan we (county commission) approved there was too much budgeted for salaries and there was. The county mayor’s office came to the same conclusion,” said Barton.
Although no EMS employee’s salary will be affected by the move, the committee voted Tuesday night to trim the EMS budget by $30,000 in the category for full time medical and $60,000 for part time personnel. The budget committee’s action will be forwarded to the county commission for final approval in July.