County taxed by overtime
Published 11:38 pm Monday, February 23, 2009
Chilton County Commissioners indicated Monday night that overtime is becoming a problem in some county departments.
While no decision was made, the commission stressed the need to cut back on overtime wherever possible.
“We’re in the position right now where we don’t have the money to work overtime,” Commissioner Allen Caton said last night.
Caton was quick to add that sometimes emergencies require employees to work extra hours, such as a downed tree after a storm that causes road crews to be on call 24 hours a day.
But commissioners agreed that some overtime could possibly be avoided.
“I would give [department heads] the courtesy of talking with them first,” Commissioner Bobby Agee recommended.
Chairman Tim Mims recommended that the commission meet with department heads during a daytime work session. The county administrator was asked to contact all department heads and organize the meeting.
In other business, the commission:
approved a $340,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to the Chilton Airport Authority for site acquisition pertaining to the development of the runway at Gragg-Wade Field. The FAA funds 95 percent of the grant.
approved by majority vote the hiring of Jessica Mims to fill a vacant position in the Sheriff’s Department’s Patrol Division, in courthouse security.
approved by majority vote the hiring of Christy Smitherman to fill a vacant secretary’s position in the Sheriff’s Department.
appointed Carrie Gray and Tom Brown to the Mental Health Board, and Elmore Hicks to the Water Authority.