Funding projects through the American Rescue Plan

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American Rescue Plan

ELLIJAY, Ga. – While mostly focused on Hazard Pay for county employees, Gilmer County discussed possible areas of need and opportunity for the funding from the American Rescue Plan to go towards. The county discussed a number of options including HVAC Repairs, workforce housing, an ambulance, possibly passing on some funding to non-profits in the county, and even using funding to reimburse some salaries.

While keeping in mind that directly spending funds on certain areas of the county not approved in the funding resolution is prohibited, the funding does allow for reimbursements of salaries which could free up some standard M&O Budget for some other needs.

The first project discussed in the Commissioners Special Called Meeting, outside of the prioritized Hazard Pay funding for employees, was a major need for HVAC repairs and possible replacements across the county. An important issue for both COVID health and employee general health standards, Paris noted that many of the systems used by the county are “very old and inefficient.”

Replacing them with new systems would allow for better efficiency, but the new systems would also utilize, according to Paris, a UV sterilization system for air that is cycled. Paris noted that rough estimates totaled $300,000 for the every county building. However, Paris did note that $300,000 seemed low to him. This was later echoed by others with estimates close to $75,000 to $80,000 per unit.

An option arose to simply attempt the replacements one at a time to see how far the money could go and allow the county better understandings of prices and the process before they get too deep into the project. Paris agreed but suggested prioritizing the courthouse and then the jail as the most interactions occur in those two county buildings. However, the board along with other elected officials like Sheriff Nicholson all stated that these systems need replacing, whether utilizing American Rescue Plan funds or placing them as line items in the budget, the county needs to replace the systems.

Acknowledging that the replacements will have to be bid out, Paris requested Facilities Maintenance Director Eric Playford to acquire estimates for the project to give the board a better understanding before committing to bids and the project.

Another item discussed for expenditure addressed workforce housing in the county. An item that has been debated and deliberated on in county meetings for months now, workforce housing has always asked on where such a project could go in the county. As citizens have brought up the issue in county meetings, the BOC can only consider options outside of the city limits. Discussing locations and possibly purchasing property, the idea in the meeting came to purchase property to prepare for higher density zoning toward triplexes or quadplexes. The idea would have builders construct the buildings for sale. Upon sale the county would be reimbursed.

Specifically developing for triplexes and quadplexes could answer one issue in the past as developers have not tended to develop these kinds of higher density housing.

However, in discussing with Public Safety Director Keith Kucera, the current understanding of the county along with the current ruling on the resolution, would not allow the county to use the funds to purchase new property. However, it is believed that if the county already owns property, then developing the housing project could be funded through the funds.

Paris noted two properties the county could utilize in that manner. One being out Yukon and one near Highway 515. However, Paris said he couldn’t see the county adding to traffic on Yukon Road. The property just off of Highway 515, near Whitepath, does not have water or sewer ran to it.

Post 1 Commissioner Hubert Parker suggested utilizing some funds to expand the water system into new areas of the county.

Discussion continued as Paris noted and the board approved an ambulance for Public Safety. With a cost of $230,000, Director Kucera returned to a formerly approved vehicle for community outreach saying he now believes he could find it for less than the originally approved cost. Adding the Ambulance to the list, the board approved the funding through the American Rescue Plan funds.

With no specific amount set, the board is also looking to reimburse salaries and wages for public safety personnel. The county is still looking at its other projects and are looking to return to the discussion in general during its October meeting next week, with the Work Session on October 13, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. and the Regular Meeting on October 14, 2021, at 6:00 p.m.

The board approved reimbursement and is looking to pursue this “as much as possible” while looking at their other projects as well in order to maximize the accomplishments covered with the American Rescue Plan funding.

County considering hazard pay for employees with American Recovery Plan

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ELLIJAY, Ga. – Struggling through the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, many employees working for Gilmer County have tested positive over the last two years and all have seen major risks of exposure during that time, according to the Gilmer Board of Commissioners (BOC). This is why, the board stated, they wanted to look at a type of hazard pay for employees.

During their second Special Called Meeting of September, Gilmer’s BOC solely focused on expenditures utilizing funding from the American Recover Plan. The county has delayed this topic as they have further investigated, and still are looking at, rulings over the “relief funding” and what it can and cannot be used for.  The board has spent time looking at other counties as well and how they have spent the funding.

However, during the discussion one major topic enveloped the large majority of the day, passing on these funds in a “bonus” or “hazard pay” for employees who have seen exposures and risks during the time. While it is being treated as a bonus, Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlie Paris said in the meeting that it is, basically, hazard pay for employees who have worked hard through the risks, exposures, and positive cases that the county has seen. He also said part of the consideration is to help out the employees who he feels are not paid as much as they should be.

This payment was debated in several areas including the amount of pay, differences for full or part timers, inclusion of elected officials, and inclusion of seasonal employees. Along with guidance from Gilmer’s Public Safety Director Keith Kucera and the County Attorney David Clark, and with input from other department heads and elected officials including Public Safety Director Jim Smith, Sheriff Stacy Nicholson, Fire Chief Daniel Kauffman, Finance Director Sandi Holden, and Probate Judge Scott Chastain, the board navigated how to implement the payment.

Originally considered as a flat $3,000 for full-time employees and $1,500 for part-time employees, the question came whether the county should offer a larger payment for Public Safety employees. Both Chairman Charlie Paris and Post Commissioner Karleen Ferguson stated their initial considerations to offer more for public safety, but later Paris’ initial proposal came as a flat rate for all employees, to which Ferguson also agreed with a vote in support. However, they were not the only ones as both Kucera and Nicholson also made comments and supported an equal payment for all employees due to the risks that all faced.

shooter, speed, pay

Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson

Nicholson did originally comment that he was in full support of the idea for employees. He later commented saying that $3,000 is good but “$4,000 is better.” He went on to clarify that he felt that the idea was great and he, personally, felt that the employees deserved more than the original proposal, stating both $4,000 and $5,000 as better options. Nicholson did also state that he said this understanding that he is not a Commissioner who is considering all the other needs and how to pay for everything.

The county ultimately settled on the original proposal of $3,000 for full-time and $1,500 for part-time for the moment. But then discussion turned to other aspects of who should be included as “employees” considering the different aspects of the county including seasonal workers and even elected officials.

Inclusions for elected officials was originally left out as Paris stated he thought it was restricted in the resolutions for the funding. Kucera pointed out that it was allowed as he referenced rulings and opinions from others like the National Association of Counties. However, despite this, all three members of the Board of Commissioners agreed that they should exempt themselves from the payment as they are the ones voting on and implementing the bonus. The payment will include all other elected officials, though.

The largest topic came when officials and department heads began asking about employee inclusion. Sheriff Nicholson noted bailiffs who are paid by the day instead of by the hour. Judge Chastain also noted seasonal employees being poll workers. Though at one time they were handled as individual contractors and paid through the Probate Office, Chastain moved poll workers’ pay to be handled generally with all other employees. A point noted by County Attorney David Clark when he said, “The keyword here is ’employees.'”

Scott Chastain, Elections, pay

Gilmer County Probate Judge Scott Chastain

The delineation being that employees are handled through Human Resources and pay goes through the normal channels with taxes withheld and everything as normal.

Both Chastain and Nicholson questioned who is and isn’t included saying that they expected these questions from their employees and wanted to get the answer before the questions were asked.

Though these two were present to ask, the discussion turned to other “employees” including those paid to serve on boards like the Board of Tax Assessors.

However, the board themselves did not make a final decision on each of these different inclusions. Instead, operating under the inclusions of “employees” as defined, the board left the details to their Chief Financial Officer Sandi Holden.

What the board directed Holden to do and what the final motion of the board directed, is that full-time employees will receive $3,000. Part-time employees will receive up to $1,500, this pay will be dependent on their hours in some way. The board also set the cut-off and no new employees after the September 28, 2021 meeting can be included in the payment. They also noted that employees who have been employed for less than 90-days at the time would not receive the payment until they reached the 90-day mark.

Holden was given the task at the meeting, so no scale is available at this time, but indications point to part-time employees getting the full $1,500 if they are hired as such and typically work the normal schedule up to 29 hours a week.

Holden said that she will likely use some sort of percentage for those who don’t “qualify” to that weekly and hourly schedule, but again, no specific details on how that will work are available.

As the county works through the details and fully implements the scale and plan for the “hazard pay,” they did set a date for employees to expect the payment. Employees can expect this bonus to come in the third week of October.

 

BOE approves plan for temporary “retention pay”

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EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – Utilizing CARES Act funds, a plan was presented this month for the Board of Education to institute “Retention Pay” for classified employees who make less than $12 per hour.

According to Superintendent Dr. Brian Ridley, the CFO and Director of Finance, Trina Penland presented the idea originally when considering the CARES Act Funds.

Additionally, this plan also includes raising substitutes up to $12 per hour as base rate as well as moving Bus Drivers who drive for field trips to $15 per hour for that field trip rate.

The Board of Education (BOE) retreated to executive session during their regular meeting, and added this item to the agenda after returning. Pushing these positions’ pay higher is a temporary application of funds, but the Board of Education is hoping to utilize it as a stop-gap moving forward.

While this helps with job retention now, Dr. Ridley also stated this temporary bonus would allow the system to revamp the classified pay schedule. The school system is attempting to be more competitive for employees.

The cost of this increase is estimated at just over $306,400 per year. Dr. Ridley noted that the utilization of these funds and implementing the temporary bonus will give the board two years to accomplish this goal to revamp the schedule.

This is not the first response to issues with staffing for the school system. Bus Drivers, specifically, have had numerous issues over the years and seen several attempts to respond and rectify the issue. In 2017, the Board of Education at the time discussed incentives and bonuses for bus drivers including a $500 sign-on bonus for new drivers after completion of their CDL’s and 6-months of successful employment with the school system. Current Board Members Ronald Watkins and Michael Bramlett were on the board at that time and a part of that discussion.

However, the Board of Education has not been the only county dealing with the issues as both former Board Member Tom Ocobock and former Superintendent Dr. Shanna Wilkes reported that counties all over Georgia were having the same issues then. Today, staffing issues affect every business and government entity with restaurants continuing to close early and at odd times due to shortages, retail businesses operating on “skeleton crews,” and even governments like Gilmer County who haven’t been fully staffed in months or even a year for some.

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