Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 115, No. 23	June 4, 2008

Magistrates adopt first reading of new county spending plan on 5-2 vote

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

A proposed 2008-2009 spending plan, which totals $12,560,585, is under review by state officials, following a four-hour discussion in two meetings by Fiscal Court.

The first reading was approved on a 5-2 vote, during a special-called May 27 session. Casting dissenting votes were Magistrates Herbie Chism and Tony Staples.

County Judge Executive Harry Craycroft said the plan could be changed between now and the second reading, expected after state review. The county’s new fiscal year starts July 1.

Chism argued county solid waste coordinator Mark Gossett’s salary was too high, considering the fact the county has contracted the garbage business to a private hauler within the past year.

“Since we have contracted part of the work out, I think we need to make an adjustment on the salary,” Chism said.

Craycroft, in Gossett’s defense, said he was given a lot of extra duties in the past.

Chism added that was the case, but he was hired as a solid waste/recycle coordinator and now he was just the recycling coordinator.

Staples asked if the county’s solid waste advisory committee reviewed salaries for similar positions in surrounding counties, as the Court asked.

Officials said Gossett’s salary, which was not publicly disclosed, makes him the county’s highest paid department head.

“I am not singling out Mr. Gossett,” Chism said. “I don’t think he is not doing a good job. But we have contracted garbage out and people felt like that was part of his job and I do, too.”

Magistrate Mark Hubbard said Gossett has done the position to the fullest extent possible, referencing the fact he has expanded educational outreach programs to schools, something he was unable to do earlier.

“He is also focusing on the illegal dumps and picked some of them up,” Hubbard said. “He has done a great job.”

“I just don’t see cutting the man’s salary when he is doing this good of a job,” Hubbard said. “He is doing it even better now.”

Chism admitted Gossett had done well, but questioned what might happen if recycling decreased.

“Right now he is making more money than the road superintendent, who has been there for eight years,” Chism said.

“The 109 Board hired him in at that salary,” Craycroft said. “You (Chism) were on the 109 Board. I’m not saying you were the one that hired him but you were on the board.”

Staples said Gossett did a good job, but magistrates had taken a lot of his job away.

“At least half of what he did somebody else is doing,” he said.

Staples wanted to meet with Gossett and “shadow” him to see what he does.

Staples didn’t want the department to return to earlier times when county officials baled them out.

Magistrate Steve Wardrip knew of some people interested in leasing the center for their operations.

“If we were going to put loads of money into it we might need to take a look at that,” he said. “I know there are some people in Louisville who are interested in leasing our recycling center.”

Craycroft said once that happens county officials will lose all control.

“I think we ought to just leave it alone because it’s working,” Hubbard said. “The way it’s working right now is the fact we are getting more recycling. We have gotten more in the last three months than we did in the whole prior year.”

Craycroft said Gossett worked with area residents and assisted in cleaing up several properties.

He said, since Fiscal Court didn’t hire him, he didn’t think it would be good for them to cut his salary.

“That’s like saying you have done a good job, buddy, now we are going to cut your salary in half,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard reiterated Gossett has had increased job responsbilities, but was disappointed the Court wasn’t showing gratitude for it.

Investigator position

In a related matter, magistrates listened to County Attorney Margaret Matney request the reinstatement of an office investigator, a budget position she learned was eliminated.

“Last summer about this time you decided to decrease it to about $23,000 and now it is gone completely,” she said. The position was included in an earlier budget for $30,000.

She discusssed with Sheriff William “Butch” Kerrick the possibility of filling the position with a deputy, but couldn’t find one willing to accept the salary.

“We even had a hard time at $30,000,” she said. “The agreement I had with the sheriff was the money would be added to his budget and the person would be considered a rotating investigator.”

She understood if a police officer was hired, that person needed to be an academy graduate, whereby others could be retired officers with military or law enforcement experience, but not necessarily academy training.

She asked the funds be reinstated, adding the person need not have an academy background, but some law enforcement experience.

She said, if the Court decided not to reinstate the funding, she wanted an additional assistant county attorney.

“One way or another it would benefit the office,” Matney said. “Our caseload has increased dramatically over the past year.”

“We have had a population growth and when you get an increased number of people you get increased crime,” Matney said.

Matney said her department has a significant need for the position, adding they average about 30 complaints weekly.

Wardrip saw the position’s need, but questioned where the county would get the funds from.

“We want someone with investigative experience,” Matney said. “We have a need for it. We clearly have a need for it.”

She said the population has increased within Meade County, prompting Craycroft to say the most recent Lincoln Trails estimate was 29,135 people.

The investigator would review complaints to allow Matney and her staff to determine how to prosecute them. Some, according to Matney, were easy, but others needed to have the legwork completed.

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