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Wlaf1450By Charlotte Underwood
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – The Campbell County Commission held its monthly workshop on Monday evening, discussing several insurance and personnel issues including the possibility of employee raises and adding the sheriff’s department to the county’s travel credit card.
Other business included discussion on the need for the county to hire an open records coordinator and a public records coordinator, as well as an archivist to be in compliance with state law.
Commissioner Rusty Orick spoke briefly about the two issues from the recent Insurance and Personnel committee meeting.
“We brought to the table a request for a raise for the employees. We do this every year, it’s nothing new. Now if the budget is upside down, it won’t happen, but we hope to be able to make it happen this year,” Orick said.
On next Tuesday’s agenda, commissioners will also vote on adding the sheriff’s department to the county’s travel credit card. This is on the recommendation of the insurance and personnel committee.
The commission will have to amend the travel credit card policy first, which will also be on next week’s agenda.
During Monday’s workshop Commissioner Zach Marlow brought up the Lonas Young Park and asked where the county was “on the software system” for rentals for the park.
“Something has to give. We need it ready for March, and still there’s no system in place. The tax payers have paid too much money for that for it to not be bringing in revenue,” Marlow said.
Commissioner Scottie Kitts said he agreed and that the “county needed to get the park open to campers by March.”
“That has to go through the recreation committee,” Commission Chairman Johnny Bruce said.
Marlow also announced he planned on scheduling a legislative affairs committee meeting for Mon., Jan. 29, at 5:30 pm.
During Monday’s workshop, County Attorney Joe Coker addressed the commission and told them they are required by law to appoint someone as a public records coordinator and an open records coordinator as well as a records archiver. All three positions had previously been filled by Gerry Myers who resigned recently. Meyers had been in the job the past six years as a volunteer.
The open records coordinator is appointed by the county mayor, and is subject to approval by the commission, while the other two positions are appointed by the commission. All three positions can be held by one individual.
“You need to get us in compliance with the law. Mr. Myers resigned, and we need someone as soon as possible. There’s a lot more to this than meets the eye,” Coker told commissioners.
He explained Tennessee has an open records law, and private individuals and organizations can request these records, and the county is supposed to produce those in a set amount of time.
“These requests come in different ways, and they are directed to the coordinator. The coordinator is in charge to assemble those records and respond to anything that is not excluded.”
In the recent past, we’ve had a lot more records requested. Gerry Myers did a wonderful job for six years; it took a lot of his time. CTAS said we could compensate someone, but we need to do it sooner rather than later. He (Myers) performed the function of all three, which makes sense,” Coker said.
Marlow asked how record requests were currently being handled.
County Mayor Jack Lynch said he had contacted the county attorney on some and budget and finance on others.
“Whoever we get needs to be well read and have a good understanding of the law,” Marlow said.
Orick said the county wasn’t going to get anyone to do it without compensation. Other commissioners agreed and decided the county would need to get with the financial department on what kind of salary could be attached to the position.
In the meantime, Lynch was tasked with submitting a name for a temporary appointment of someone to serve on an interim basis until the county can get the financial side of it decided and someone else qualified can be hired.
This will be on next week’s agenda.
County Property Assessor Brandon Partin briefly addressed commissioners at the workshop to present them with the five year property assessment plan, which is a requirement of the state.
“As you know this is a property assessment year and the state requires us to do this. We’ve put together a five year plan for the next to take place in 2029,” Partin said.
He told commissioners it was the same resolution he presented five years ago in 2014 with no changes.
This will also be voted on next Tuesday at the regular monthly meeting.
Two proclamations will be made at next week’s meeting as well, including one honoring Campbell County’s two volunteers of the year, and another proclamation in honor of Margaret Johnson who recently turned 102.
Due to Martin Luther King Day, the county commissioners will meet next Tues., Jan. 16, at 6pm, at the courthouse. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 01/09/2024-6AM)