In an effort to keep closer tabs on taxpayer money, the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors Tuesday implemented a hiring freeze for all department heads.
As elected officials, the heads of Circuit Court, Justice Court, Chancery Court and Juvenile Court, along with the Sheriff”s Office, County Administrator”s Office and Tax Assessor”s Office, among others, have the authority to hire and fire employees. Typically, the Board of Supervisors then ratifies those personnel changes after-the-fact.
With the hiring freeze approved Tuesday, department heads will no longer be allowed to hire new employees or fill vacant positions without prior approval from the Board of Supervisors. And with a lean budget in the works, the Board of Supervisors said the county won”t be hiring many, if any, non-essential employees.
“Since we”re in the money crunch we”re in right now, we”re watching everybody”s budget very closely,” District 5 Supervisor John Young said.
District 1 Supervisor Carl Clardy said the move is necessary in a fiscal year with no projected pay raises for county employees and a possible 4.48-mill ad valorem tax increase just to balance the budget.
“We just don”t have the money,” Clardy said. “We are unable to give raises this year, so we certainly don”t need to be hiring any new people.”
District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer, however, spoke out against the hiring freeze and questioned how much money the county would save. No figures were available.
“It”s hard to say,” District 5 Supervisor John Young said when asked about possible savings later Tuesday. “I don”t have any numbers on how much it would save, but if we put a freeze on things … we”ll take a look at every position when they become vacant and then make a decision. It”s basically just trying to take a closer look at things. That has been a practice long before I came on the board. It”s something we probably should have been doing, not freezing positions, but having prior approval from the Board of Supervisors.”
However, the hiring freeze won”t put adversely affect services, Young said.
“We definitely will not substitute safety or the well-being of the citizens of the community,” Young said.
Supervisors expect to vote on the 2010-2011 budget Sept. 15.
The board Tuesday also heard from three citizens during the public comment period who said they were in favor of a tax increase. The board is considering the 4.48-mill ad valorem increase to help pay for the OCH Regional Medical Center bond issue and maintain operations.
“I hate to say this, but please raise my taxes,” said Lorenzo Crowell, who cited the need for better roads and improved services throughout the county.
Gertrude Okhuysen and Fred Allen shared similar sentiments when they told the board they were in favor of a tax increase.
“We have terrible roads,” Allen said, donned in a “Pave New Light Road” hat and shirt. “We can”t get our roads paved. Some people can”t even get to the (board) meetings because of their roads.”
Nobody spoke out against a tax increase. The Sept. 15 meeting will take place at 10 a.m. in the second-floor boardroom of the Oktibbeha County Courthouse.
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