News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Future Putnam County Commissioners will make 5-percent of the county mayor’s salary under a recommendation approved by the fiscal review committee Monday.
Commissioner Cindy Adams said the proposal was a terrible idea.
“It’s like shirking our duty. If we feel like we need a raise, we need to just vote ourselves a raise rather than making it something that happens automatically where we’re not accountable to our constituents,” Adams said. “I think we need to be voting if we are going to be giving ourselves a raise.”
Adams said the proposal could cause people to run for office just for the money.
If approved by the full county commission, the pay change would take effect September 1st, 2022.
Commissioner Jonathon Williams said enacting the the percentage would take the issue out of the commission’s hands.
“But I think that’s kind of the point because there is an inherent conflict of interest anytime an elected body starts talking about their own salary,” Williams said, “and unfortunately, we are the only ones that can do it unless we tie it to another factor.”
Williams also said the percentage would also help adjust to inflation overtime.
County commissioners currently make $400 a month. If the proposal took effect this year, commissioner pay would increase to about $435.
The full county commission will meet Tuesday, January 22nd at 6:00 p.m. inside the Putnam County Courthouse.
