The Jones County Board of Commissioners increased pay for the coroner and deputy coroners at last week’s meeting, which was the first time it had been increased in 34 years.
Chairman Chris Weidner called the Sept. 2 meeting to order, and the opening prayer and pledge were led by Greg Mullis.
Planning and Zoning items were first on the agenda. Commissioners approved the first two requests, conditional uses for the construction of a barndominium on Plentitude Church Road and the placement of a single-wide mobile home on Mountain Springs Road.
The third item was the approval of a text amendment to data centers as a conditional use in C-1 zoning. It was postponed at the request of Commissioner Sam Kitchens.
New Business
Commissioner Daylon Martin asked the board to consider implementing local preference in the county’s bidding process. He said he thought the issue had previously been approved.
“I recommend we employ a strategy or create a vehicle to allow it,” Martin said.
County Attorney Ashley Brodie said local preference is not allowed for federal or state projects. She said it could only be used on local projects.
Kitchens suggested local preference be put in the evaluation matrix for projects.
“We don’t want to make bidding less competitive. I prefer it be part of scoring, not money,” he said.
Martin said it is evident that board members prefer one brand or another when purchasing vehicles or equipment. He said that was the same idea.
County Administrator Jason Rizner said the idea of local preference was explored in 2017. The process went as far as creating the policy, but it was not adopted.
Kitchens made a motion to postpone the item, and the vote was unanimous.
Commissioner John Wood brought up the issue of the coroner’s pay for death calls. He said the current payment per call is $175, which has been the same for 34 years.
He said there are an average of 95 calls per year.
“I propose we increase the pay to $250 per call and $100 per day for the coroner or deputy coroner who is on call,” Wood said.
The commissioner explained that, if a death call occurs, the $100 goes away.
“I think this is much needed and long overdue,” he said.
Wood said the coroner’s office was not included in the salary study, and he pointed out a single death call can become very involved and take hours.
Kitchens said there was a lot of conversation about the minimum pay for coroner calls during Georgia’s last legislative session.
Rizner said the guidebook from the ACCG has the $175 payment as the minimum, but some counties pay more.
Wood asked board members to consider how many times other county employees have received raises in the past 34 years.
“I don’t feel like we should be paying the bare minimum. I don’t know anything that costs the same as 34 years ago,” he said.
Kitchens said he agreed the pay needed to be increased.
Deputy Coroner Wayne Greer said a $250 minimum payment for coroners actually passed the House of Representatives. He also said the increased minimum payment does not apply to counties that already pay deputy coroners a salary.
“This is just for small counties,” he said. “We are the ones doing things in the night no one else wants to do,” he said.
Greer added that no one is in it for the money.
“I love what I do; I just want to keep doing it,” he said.
Kitchens said he is 100 percent for a pay increase. He just wants to understand what other counties do.
Wood made the motion to increase the corner payments. The motion passed 4-1 with Martin opposed.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:38 p.m. to enter closed session to discuss personnel and real estate. The meeting reconvened at 7:22 p.m. and was adjourned with no further action taken.
The next meeting of the Board of Commissioners is scheduled Sept. 16 at 6 p.m.
