Fiscal
Court members debate magistrate funds
By
LAURA HAGAN
lhagan@owentonnewsherald.com
Budget
issues were one of the main topics of discussion during last week’s
Fiscal Court meeting.
The first reading of the 2007-2008 Budget Ordinance #154 was done.
The ordinance outlined how much of the budget went to each county
employee and what it was used for — like salaries, bonds
and travel.
The amount allotted for travel expense was of special concern
to the magistrates, who each receive $150 a month to be used toward
travel expenses. The magistrates are Teresa Davis, Ray Smith,
Jerry Jones and Bobby Gaines.
Judge-Executive Billy O’Banion said there was a discussion
about possibly lowering the county employees’ raises from
the usual 5 percent to 3 percent. It was also discussed that the
magistrates’ budget appropriations, however, would increase
to $300 a month.
“I had a problem with the message that sent to employees,”
O’Banion said.
When the issue came up during the meeting, Smith said he doesn’t
want it. He did say that he thinks it would be unfair for the
magistrates to keep receiving just $150 a month for travel expenses
and wondered why O’Banion didn’t take a step on it.
O’Banion said he has no problem with the magistrates, and
stated that they are the ones who know if they have earned the
increase.
“They answer to their constituents,” he said. “Not
to me.”
O’Banion said he tried to be upfront with the issue and
that the magistrates were in charge of determining county employees’
salaries.
“We have wonderful employees,” O’Banion said.
“They work hard, and there’s not much we can do for
them besides make their pay as good as we can.”
District 3 Magistrate Teresa Davis also spoke up during the meeting.
“I do my job,” she said. “But I’m not
going to ask for more expense funding because people would think
I’m giving myself a raise.”
She then issued a challenge to O’Banion.
“The day you think the Fiscal Court is working up to your
standards, then you’ll step up,” she said. “I
would rather get more when you think I’ve earned it.”
O’Banion again replied that it was not up to him to decide,
but said if Davis thought so, the magistrates could submit to
him a report of their monthly activities.
“But the bottom line is that I’m not the one they
answer to,” he said.
Because magistrates are full-time employees of the county, their
time sheets and reports are public record.
“I work for the people,” Davis said.
She said in determining salary increases for county employees,
the magistrates figured it at every percentage. As for the increase
in their own travel expenses, she said out of all of the magistrates
in the state, she, Smith, Gaines and Jones are “probably
the only four who don’t get (the $300).”
Since she’s been magistrate, Davis said her phone bills
have doubled and she has put over 2,000 miles on her car in the
past month alone.
“That’s what (the travel expense) goes for,”
she said. “I could turn in mileage, but that would be greedy.”
She said she thinks Owen County’s magistrates should have
what every other magistrate in Kentucky has.
“If they can have it, I don’t understand why we’re
being penalized,” she said.
Davis said the increase is not a raise, but that the magistrates
asked O’Banion to put it in the budget. The magistrates’
current annual salary is $7,467.36 each. In next year’s
budget they will get a $191 increase in their salary.
“I work as a magistrate about 120 to 150 hours a week, and
people in my district agree,” Davis said.
She said she’s not sure O’Banion needs a report but
said she doesn’t mind to let him know how many hours she’s
worked.
Smith could not be reached for additional comment, and Gaines
and Jones declined to comment as of press time.
“I think we need to have more discussions (like last time)
in Fiscal Court,” Davis said. “People like to know
what’s going on.”
The next reading of the budget will be at the June 12 meeting.
The budget will go into effect July 1.
“I have no problem with them getting that money,”
O’Banion said, “as long as they feel comfortable with
the job (they’ve done).”
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