Chuck Fritts
They haven’t had a raise in more than two decades, and on Monday night, Anderson County commissioners will consider whether to approve a salary increase for the new commission that starts in September.
Commissioners now receive $537.59 per month, or $6,451 each year. That’s what they’ve earned since Fiscal Year 1995-96.
Commissioners last received a salary increase in FY 1992-93, when their pay was raised 1.5 percent to $599 per month, or $7,199 each year.
But their monthly salary was then cut to the current level of $537.59 a few years later, in FY 95-96. There has been no change since.
A resolution to be considered by commissioners tonight (Monday, August 18) would give the new commission that starts in September the same pay raises awarded to all other elected officials, Commission Chair Chuck Fritts said. It would put commissioners on the same “playing field†as other elected officials, said Fritts, who made the proposal. He said commissioners ought to be included when those elected officials receive a raise.
Fritts and Commissioner Robert McKamey, who was acting chair of the Operations Committee when it recently took no action on the proposal, pointed out that the pay raises would likely be small in terms of an absolute increase. For example, a 1 percent salary increase would result in another $5 per month or so for commissioners, they said.
The commission cannot approve raises mid-term, so tonight’s meeting could be the only opportunity to consider a pay raise before the new commission starts next month.
“The sitting term cannot set their own salary,†McKamey said. “What we’re doing is setting the salaries for the commissioners for the next term.â€
It’s not clear if there will be any opposition to the proposal, but some commissioners want to discuss it tonight, Fritts said.
Robert McKamey
McKamey said the state determines what raises are received by the county’s elected officials.
“This just brings county commissioners in line with other elected officials,†such as the mayor and sheriff, McKamey said. If those officials don’t receive a raise, commissioners also wouldn’t receive a raise.
McKamey said there was not much discussion of Fritts’ proposal at the Operations Committee. A motion to approve it died for a lack of a second. McKamey and four other commissioners were there. But two of the commissioners, John Shuey and Zach Bates, are leaving the commission (they did not seek re-election) and didn’t want to vote, McKamey said.
The pay raise to be considered tonight is meant to “adequately compensate members for attendance at all county commission and committee meetings by making members of the legislative body eligible for all salary raises given to county officials†under two sections of Tennessee law.
“County Commission is almost like a second full-time job for people who take it seriously,†said Fritts, who won re-election as a commissioner this month but is not seeking re-election as chair in September.
Fritts has been chair for three years. In addition to attending County Commission meetings, Fritts said, he goes to all the major committee meetings. The chair does not receive any extra pay.
McKamey said commissioners are also eligible for health insurance and retirement, and he estimated that possibly five or six commissioners take advantage of that.
Separately, new Anderson County commissioners and elected officials will be sworn in by Criminal and Circuit Court Judge Don Elledge at 9 a.m. Tuesday, September 2, in Criminal Court, which is the center courtroom on the third floor of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton. (See the August 7 election results here.)
Commissioners tonight will consider whether to have a special meeting at 10:30 a.m., after the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, September 2, to elect a chair, vice chair, and nominating committee.
Tonight’s commission meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton. Find the consent and regular agendas here.
Myra Mansfield says
I’m very sad to see this. Page 364 of the Regular Agenda for tonight is the Minutes for the Operations Committee. In that committee last Monday one commissioner made a motion to forward this to the full commission and it failed for lack of a second. This is not supposed to be on the agenda and certainly should not have been announced in this article nor commented on by these two commissioners. I couldn’t care less if they have a raise but I care about honesty and transparency and refraining from breaking rules. Why did these people get re-elected?
Chuck Fritts says
Anyone wanting to see or review our “Rules of Procedure”, they can be found at http://www.andersontn.org. Within Rule # 7 it states; …… Agenda items must be submitted to the appropriate committee before being presented to County Commission for a vote. …… County Commission can either refer items not been before a committee to the appropriate committee by majority vote or with a 2/3’s (11) vote can take it up for immediate discussion and vote if it is an emergency or action needing immediate attention.
The item in question had been through the appropriate committee prior to being placed on tonight’s Agenda. NO violation of rules occurred!
Finally, why did we get re-elected? We got re-elected because the citizens of Anderson County voted for the most experienced & most qualified candidate to perform the job they expected us to do!
Kelsey Curtis says
Has anyone looked at the amount that is being paid for insurance for commissioners receiving that benefit ? Seems rather disproportionate for the few hours that commissioners are required to meet. A large expenditure for the county that seems unwarranted .
Peter Scheffler says
I think you are right about the agenda item. As I read the Rules of Procedure, the Chairman is responsible for preparing the agenda, and an item only has to be submitted to the appropriate committee. Moreover, it was an item which had to be decided before the new Commission takes office. I didn’t see anything about either what the committee must do with the item, or whether the Chairman is bound by any decision of the committee in deciding whether to put the item on the agenda. To me that does not make sense, but I didn’t make the rules. I would hope that any committee decision about the item would be in the report of the committee. I was not able to attend the meeting tonight, but I will be interested to see the news coverage.
As I was reading the rules of procedure, I realized that they also clearly explain how the “In God We Trust” matter was to be handled when it first came before the Commission. The Mayor certainly could have presented the matter in her report, and there should have been a brief discussion to determine that it should have been presented to the Operations Committee for attention. It was not an emergency or matter needing immediate attention. The long discussion and presentations of public comment were not appropriate.
I think it would be a good idea to have copies of the Rules of Procedure in the Council Chambers for both the Commission and the public to consult, so that everyone can refer to them as needed.
Myra Mansfield says
Chairman Fritts, What reflection do you think it shows that you proceeded to include this issue even though four commissioners did not offer a second? What is your speculation as to why they didn’t? Were they against this moving forward? If so, why would you force it in disrespect to fellow commissioners? If they were in favor, then why didn’t they speak up? Answer these five questions.
In my opinion, you set a precedence. Please do not change later down the road another time that it seems more convenient to you to bend the rules another way. Please do not decide on some future issue that something didn’t pass Operations therefore you don’t want it on the Agenda. Now we have you on record stating that even if something doesn’t pass Operations, it can still be put on the Agenda. Correct?
Shirley Frykman says
Co. Commissioners: Boo Hoo. Do they think they are really so much better than the rest of us, especially, those of us working for minimum wage with no raises in sight?