Barrow BOC chops salaries; some departments merged

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Wednesday, June 24. 2009

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The Barrow County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday night cut the salaries of more than half of the county’s 244 employees who don’t report to the sheriff. In addition, several county departments were combined resulting in demotions for some staff members, but also a handful of promotions and raises.

The combination of demotions, pay cuts and layoffs are expected to save the county about $1.4 million in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.
Tuesday’s vote overturns many of the large pay increase county employees got several years ago when the previous BOC administration aggressively implemented the Archer Study pay scales.

Under the new plan, 132 county employees are getting pay cuts. According to a list made public Tuesday night, the cuts range from a low of $278 for a fire department lieutenant with four years of experience to $10,833 for the fire department’s chief of education and safety, who came to work for Barrow County last year.

Most of the cuts are between $1,000 and $5,000, but several are in excess of $5,000.

For more details and related stories on the county pay cuts, see the June 24 issue of the Barrow Journal.

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#1 Deke Thornton IV on 06/24/09 at 09:12 AM [Reply]

Great! Keep cutting! Cut to the bone! Government needs to do less! Most of what they do is unnecessary and inefficient anyway. Lazy teat-suckers need to find real jobs in the real world.

#1.1 Anonymous on 06/24/09 at 10:15 AM [Reply]

That is the smart thing to do cut it all down to the bone. That way you have no services. That is real smart move. Then raise taxes. Higher taxes and no services, that is exactly what I want.

#1.2 Anonymous on 06/24/09 at 10:13 PM [Reply]

Mr. Deke Thornton IV - you need to do less. You work too hard as it is, and I am sure that you are an unnecessary and inefficient teat-sucker who needs to.........remember this the next time you have need of a service from your local, state, or federal government.

Ms. Norma Jean Brown, the HR Director, simply does what she is requested to do by the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. King Danny seems to have memory lapses when remembering what he asks people to do for him. Didn't see Danny out there personally delivering lay-off letters to folks. How is
this any different from Mr. Lyn Clement taking over departments that he may be unqualified to oversee? After all, he is simply doing what the Chairman requests/tells him to do. No one has seen or heard Mr. Clement step up and
say "No, Mr. Chairman, I do not feel that I am qualified to take on those departments or roles." How is this any different from Ms. Shannon Young taking over the Storm Water Department? Did Ms. Young, who has been
overheard many times in the Annex, state that she's overwhelmed and is running ragged, step up and say "Thank you Mr. Chairman, but I am not qualified to run StormWater." The prior director of StormWater, Jennifer Toler, held a Bachelor's of Science degree with a concentration on studies that focused on issues that StormWater deals with on a regular basis. She also had years of prior job
experience with the EPA - an organization with whom it helps to have a good working relationship and knowledge of. Instead the BOC voted to get rid of Ms. Toler and replace her with Ms. Young, who, while highly qualified and
knowledgeable when it comes to running Keep Barrow Beautiful, is neither experienced nor qualified to run StormWater. The layoff also successfully rid the county of their only Engineer, Ms. Michelle Leonard, who holds a Bachelor's of Science degree from Georgia Tech, as well as a PE (professional engineer) designation. Congratulations to Interim Chief Mark Melvin on your salary increase, even
though it is not nearly as much as the responsibilities of your position
warrants. Lyn Clement, on the other hand - your increase comes with the high price
tag of selling out. What will happen to those who make bottom of the barrel right now at the county, after all the "restructuring" is done? Will we citizens be seeing the folks who put their life on the line when we call 911 getting a salary increase too - whether they work in Fire and Emergency Services, 911, or yes, the Sheriff's Office? They have a great
responsibility by taking our lives in their hands. How about giving the folks who clean and scrub the toilets you people crap in all day long a little incentive? Take from the poor and give to those who have more is
this Commission's mentality. NEWSFLASH TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS: YOU CAN'T BALANCE THE COUNTY'S BUDGET BY PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THE BACK OF THE EMPLOYEES! A SAVINGS OF ONLY A FEW HUNDRED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WHEN BARROW
IS MILLIONS IN THE HOLE - GET A NEW GAMEPLAN COMMISSION!!

#1.2.1 sick and tired on 06/25/09 at 01:59 PM [Reply]

to a2z: First of all you know nothing about this county.and the HR director TELLS THE CHAIRMAN what to do .then there you go! lyn Clement is the only one left with ANY sense at all so you need to research your facts before you scatter em out. if it wasn't for him, this county would have NO SERVICE> and I can get any kind of Certifications and hang up all over town, but STUPID is just STUPID.sometimes the people with the degrees are the stupidest ones here at the county, I know the ones that care and love thier job,,are just good ole common sense people,(what this county needs)we are not GWINNETT..Toler knew nothing but how to harass people OR she would still be here. there is a difference in trying to help someone that just go out and scold em, this is how the county is workin now, you no no one is in control, so every who wishes to step up is the ones stepping up.somebody's got to do it!and HR director is happy every time she lays one off or fires one, she loves it. that is NOT normal. but the county keeps letting her get away with EVERYTHING!when are yall going to stop her? come on Chairman STEP UP,a nd you do something.the employees are tired of walking around and hearing exactly what is going to happen to thier lives, and they are told by someone else. there are people out there that said they knew months ago what was happening to jobs around here. but the employees have to read the paper to get an answer. what is going on? are you scared or just that stupid with or without a degree? who cares about a degree? with no work you don't have to know anything. people need to figure out and leave the lives along, bc someone is goin to break thru one day and SNAP!BOC do something different than pound on employees, they are innocent, and yall are mean right now, why?

#1.2.2 Deke Thornton IV on 06/26/09 at 11:03 AM [Reply]

The next time I need "service" from Barrow et al. will be my first. The best thing government could do is disappear. You sound like a government "worker" whose bottle has been taken away. I'm sure, however, another bottle can replace the one from which you guzzle daily. Pardon my being "sure," as you are "sure" I am a "teat-sucker." I wonder if you have any liquid assets, or are just, as you seem, a poor embittered loser?

#1.3 Cheryl on 06/24/09 at 11:42 PM [Reply]

I cannot believe your comments. What do you do for a living sit on you A-- and draw welfare? The Sheriff's Dept and the Barrow Co. Fire Department are there if and when you need them. Heaven help if you ever need them after these comments. You think they need to find jobs in the real world - well the next time you need an ambulance due to medical emergency or you house or whatever you live in is on fire or someone breaks into your home - think about your comments. Do you know what it is like to miss your family gatherings, your children's sports games or even their first Christmas? This is what these people in Fire Emergency Services and Law Enforcement goes through because they enjoy what they do and are willing to make sacrifices for us.

#1.3.1 Deke Thornton IV on 06/28/09 at 03:05 PM [Reply]

What precisely do you mean "heaven help if you need them after these comments"? Are you imply that owing to expression of opinions which don't agree with yours, that the police & fire department are justified in withholding service to me personally? That sounds both vindictive and criminally negligent.
But, it wouldn't be a surprise, since both these sets of government workers "enjoy" riding around with si-renes blaring, mouths agape, tasers drawn, badges flashed etc. But, if it makes you feel better, dear madam, I don't "need" cops or firefighters, so being deprived of their services (at your behest, kind lady) does not inconvenience or concern me in the slightest.

#1.4 Anonymous on 06/27/09 at 10:10 PM [Reply]

you find a real job

#2 C. M. Thornton, III on 06/24/09 at 09:46 AM [Reply]

Pay cuts are a better alternative to layoffs. At least there will be people there when we need them. Those who got pay cuts should appreciate that they are still employed. I believe that the majority of the county citizens appreciate you and the work you do....

#3 Curtis on 06/26/09 at 12:19 AM [Reply]

Reap what you sow Barrow county........you were told that Yearwood was a joke!! Go ahead and elect another idiot...you always have! Par for the course for Barrow. Yearwood had Norma Jean do his dirty work because he is a spineless sack of dung. He couldn't manage a gardening club cake walk....much less a county. Danny, go knock down another bottle and in your stumbling haze, maybe you'll find the answers, what a joke!

#3.1 Puzzled Pete on 06/28/09 at 07:30 AM [Reply]

If you hate Barrow county as much as your remarks indicate, why do you live here?

#4 Joe Martinaud on 06/26/09 at 04:10 PM [Reply]

I will give Danny Boy this -- he DID take the sheriff's department out of the RIF reductions. I think, he's running a little (HA!) scared about being recalled. Good!

At this past BOC meeting, he wasn't his usually pompous self.

This doesn't mean, I've changed my mind about his being bumbling fool -- oh no, no, no -- I still think he has the IQ of a gnat and should stick to selling used cars.

#5 `JB on 06/26/09 at 06:29 PM [Reply]

I am a former county employee from the roads and bridges department. Im 26 years old with 5 years of class A cdl experience but im the man dukes decided to lay off instead of people that could have retired, people that cant walk a hundred yards without giving out, and people that dont have a class A cdl license experience. Dukes does not deserve a raise, especially if the county is broke, that goes along with the others that got raises. If the county is broke why should any raises been administered. To get back to the road department last time i went by there dukes had employees planting a garden on county time and on county property, and i was one of them. Does that sound like he deserves a raise. In my opinion u the county is done

#5.1 anonymous on 06/26/09 at 11:09 PM [Reply]

JB i agree with what your saying!!!!!

#6 JB on 06/26/09 at 11:04 PM [Reply]

To chairman yearwood im glad that you gave nat dukes a raise and cut other employes pay," why did nat dukes get a raise?" thats a good question because last time i saw nat dukes he was riding around worrying about his dump truck business in savannah. What are nat dukes's qualification's for running the road department? he has no collage education!!! no real education at all!! is that worth 70k a year? in my opinion nat dukes does not deserve the job title that he has. His employees run the department for him. What does he actually do; sit in his office and watch tv all day!! i'll tell you,all of the county is scared of the naacp.

#6.1 Cleer Vue on 06/28/09 at 02:56 PM [Reply]

"scared of the naacp" Coded lingo for: racism. That flies in Barrow, which went against Obama by 80%. So, it's okay to bible-thump (but cheat on your wife), guzzle beer (get drunk & drive) and smear black people.

#6.1.1 Buck on 07/14/09 at 07:56 PM [Reply]

Cleer Vue.....you know, it's funny how the discussion was based on qualifications or lack of qualifications in Nat's case and your first means of reaction is the good ol' "race card". Most people on this post didn't even know Nat was a negro gentleman until you piped up with your racism jab. Notice, I said Nat was a Negro gentleman....not african-american, because Nat is not from Africa but lived here in Georgia all his life. Find a new approach to rhetoric because the racism gig is dead and gone....pick something new!! You're the one smearing black people by relying on the racism smoke screen. Get out, work hard, and be somebody...the racism coupon is long gone.

#6.2 Anonymous on 06/29/09 at 09:37 PM [Reply]

Dukes has been at the Roads and Bridges department for 20 years and you have been there only a few you do the math he has more expereince almost as long as you have been alive!! You sound bitter and angry if you are so qualified you should not have a problem finding another job. By the way how much education do you have a Bachelors degree or maybe a Doctrine? I thought so!! It sounds as if you are the one scared of NAACP!!

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Barrow BOC chops salaries; some departments merged

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