News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Putnam County Clerk Wayne Nabors wants to re-establish the archives and records management fee in the county clerk’s office.
Nabors said the office collects a fee when certain kinds of documents are filed and stored in his office indefinitely. But 95 percent of the money collected goes to the county archivist’s budget. Nabors said they should be allowed to retain the fees they collect to pay for the increasing costs it takes them to store and manage all of the paperwork.
“The only thing we have retained out of all that for all these years is five percent for collecting,” Nabors said. “So out of a million dollars, we’ve got to keep fifty thousand dollars for the last seventeen years. And we’ve done all the work.”
The County Commission discussed the proposal Monday and ultimately chose not to take any action on it. Nabors said he is pleased with the decision as that gives him more time to explain to commissioners why the change is necessary.
“Since there was no action on it, it wasn’t like it got voted down,” Nabors said. “So it’s not like it’s out of the picture. I think with some explanation to folks I will circle the wagon and bring it back at an appropriate time.”
County Mayor Randy Porter said if the change was approved the commission would have to find another way to pay for the county archivist.
“You’ll have to take that out of county general, property tax, wherever you decide you want to take it to put it into that 121 fund to be able to fund that,” Porter said.
Porter said if the county clerk’s expenses exceed his budget, they would be covered by the county’s general fund as needed.
“I don’t think any office, maybe codes, you’re probably one of the few offices or departments that they generate enough revenue to cover their expenses,” Porter said. “Once you move health insurance, all the taxes, retirement, and everything out to the department’s and offices, none of them float their boat.”
County Attorney Jeff Jones said that regardless of where the money is held all funds collected from that fee must be used for the storage of documents that must be kept forever.
