News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The White County Commission has passed a new attendance policy that will dock a commissioner’s pay for not attending meetings.
Commission Chair Stanley Neal said three commissioners have not attended meetings since fall of last year. At Monday’s meeting, five commissioners were absentee but still received pay.
The original resolution reduced pay by a specific dollar amount. Commissioner Roger Mason made a motion to base the new policy by percentages.
“That way in the future eight years from now if somebody decides to adjust commissioner pay, this resolution will still be valid, because it is based on percentages of whatever the county commissioner pay is,” Mason said.
County Attorney John Meadows said the passed resolution will pay commissioners through a percentage model from a total amount. For example, commissioner are currently paid $250.
According to the resolution, commissioners will receive a 12.5 percent base payment from that. Then, receive 43.75 percent for attending committee meetings and 43.75 percent for attending the full commission.
Resident Derrick Hutchings spoke during the public comment section of the meeting.
“This has been talked about for months, and there are the same three that have not attended for two years,” Hutchings said. “I mean we’re talking $18 to $20,000 of county money that they get paid to sit at home.”
