Fiscal Court Recap: Possible Road Department Base Pay Increase Discussed

Madison Doyle, story:
Edmonson County Fiscal Court met today, Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

The only in-depth discussion of tonight’s meeting was a conversation about the possibility of increasing the base pay rate for the County Road Department. Edmonson County Road Supervisor Joe Joe Montgomery said that his employees have not had a raise since he has been in this role beginning January of 2022. Montgomery said the current base pay is $15 per hour.

"My guys work just about seven days a week every week. This past weekend, they worked Friday night, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday. Some of them went home at 2:30 am Monday morning because they were on storm damage clean-up duty," Montgomery said. "They do anything I ask, and $15 an hour ain't enough to cut it. We don't have people beating down our door wanting a job. Nobody wants to do this job especially for what it pays. The prices of everything have gone up, and these boys have to eat and pay their bills."

District 1 Magistrate Mark Meeks spoke up. "You can get a job at McDonald's and make that much. I can see where a raise is needed and I think we should definitely do that."

District 4 Magistrate Gary Bagshaw also spoke up. "I absolutely agree, and I would like to take it a step further and say to Joe Joe, once we set this new base pay, if you feel like someone is doing an exceptional job and they need another raise, just let us know and we will honor that."

Judge Lindsey said he would talk to counties around Edmonson that are similar in size to see what their County Road Department base pay is. From there, it will be further discussed at the next fiscal court meeting.

The court voted to:

• Approve Ordinance EC24-20, Annual Increase of Salaries of Certain Elected Personnel. First Reading (more details to come after next reading)
• Approve Richie Jones pay increase from $6,678.00 to $10,000 annually, effective 6/1/2024.
• Approve Mike Clubb’s pay increase from $18.02 per hour to $21.63 per hour, effective 7/1/2024. Mike will be responsible for radio site maintenance.
• Approve to reappoint Sarah Martin to Tourism Board for a 3 year term, effective 7/1/2024.
• Approve to reappoint Josh Roney to Tourism Board for a 3 year term, effective 6/1/2024.
• Approve to reappoint Joel Davis to Tourism Board for a 3 year term, effective 6/16/2024.
• Schedule CRA/LGEA hearing for 6/24/2024 at 3:45 p.m.
• Approve Edmonson County Board of Health Tax Rate for 2025 (rate remains unchanged)
• Set amount for Road Department Trailer purchase.
• ARPA Discussion-General Funds Transfer.
• Reject Land & Water Grant

The next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for June 10, 2024 at 4 pm.