The White County Ethics Oversight Committee considering docking commissioner pay, as a way to deal with issued over poor attendance by county commissioners over the last few months.
Commission Chairman Derrick Hutchings said many commissioners have not attended meetings consecutively, provoking the discussion. The Committee discussed changes to encourage commissioner attendance at meetings, full court and steering committees.
“I would love to think that no one here is going this for the whooping $250 a month, but would truly reducing pay, would it help fill these seats more,” Committee Chairman Dakota White said. “Right, and that’s just a redundant question.”
White said commissioners have a fiscal responsibility to report to work. County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said representatives could not be reelected if they do not attend meetings. White said their constituents deserve representation for the four years an absentee is in office.
“Half of the members show up 90 percent of the time and the other half don’t,” Hutchings said. “I mean that’s just what it is. All of us are going to have instances where we miss one or two meetings.”
Hutchings said he asked Executive Assistant Brooke Luna to compile an attendance record. Hutchings said the committee would only use the record if they decided on an outcome that required consulting them. Hutchings said the committee will not see the records until after deliberating, as to not sway the vote.
White said disaster situations should be considered, as the discussed policy does not account for family emergencies or accidents.
“I remember us spending a decent amount of time on this discussion because things do happen,” White said. “And we can’t stop everything from happening. So I feel like if we’re going to discuss that which we are going to have to discuss, annual leave or something like that, as well as an entire commission body.”
Hutchings base pay is about 12 percent of monthly pay, with about 44 percent coming from Steering Committee A, Steering Committee B and full court meetings. Hutchings said any other special meetings are considered office duties and do not count toward pay.
Hutchings said after a commissioner misses two consecutive months of office, the Ethics Oversight Committee can meet to investigate and recommend action to full court. Hutchings said actions can include a reduction in salary to base pay. The committee determined to fix the problem, they would have to rework the pay structure of the commission. White said the committee adjusted pay structure four years ago.
“The way I interpret that if we were to do something and it, potentially if they’re not present at the steering committee meetings or full court,” Hutchings said. “Then we could potentially deduct their pay for lack of attendance.”
Robinson said there is no quick fix to this. Robinson said to implement the changes they are looking for, they would need to change their bylaws. Robinson said this would require full court to approve the change twice.
“There is nothing that you can do retroactive,” Robinson said. “But you can put into policy moving forward even before the next thing that if someone misses a meeting then their pay can be deducted.”