News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Van Buren County Commission will consider bonuses for county employees who have worked through the pandemic.
County Mayor Greg Wilson said $200 per month for full-time employees and $100 per month for part-time employees will be considered. Wilson said the money is coming from the county’s COVID funds.
Wilson said the county employees deserve this as they keep working, while the pandemic keeps getting worse.
“We have a bigger surge right now in Van Buren County than we’ve ever had,” Wilson said. “We have 92 active cases and I think last year in 2020, the most we ever had at any time was 83.”
Wilson said this is not for elected officials, instead for the men and women in public safety and other county offices. Wilson said the bonuses would pay for work done between March 2020 and June 2021.
“Those guys put themselves out there, every day,” Wilson said. “We will distribute that hopefully if the full commission votes on it and those employees will get that. In our sanitation, they have to be there every day at our convenience centers and meeting the public. So they’re putting themselves out on the line by meeting people.”
The county commission will vote on the bonuses on Tuesday. Wilson said that when options for COVID spending were considered, bonuses for employees was a highly recommended spending plan.
