Supervisors Field Budget Requests

By David Howell

Editor

WATER VALLEY – A request for a pay increase by Yalobusha County Coroner Ronnie Stark marked his third appearance before county supervisors in as many years with a similar plea. Stark told the group at last Friday’s budget meeting that he currently earns a monthly salary of $550 per month, $350 less than the maximum allowed by state statute.  

“I am asking for an increase to $900,” Stark said.  “Every coroner in this area, in the surrounding counties, that is what they are receiving,” Stark explained.  

In addition to the monthly pay, Stark or his deputy coroner, Debbie Jackson, also receive a “per call” pay of $125 for each completed death certificate.

But Stark noted that the coroner’s monthly salary has not increased in the 14 years since he was elected.  

“There has been no increase… correct me if I am wrong, but I think every elected official has received a raise in that time and I feel like that it is only fair that the coroner also gets a raise,” Stark added, noting that a coroner is on call day and night, 365 days a year.  

His request initially brought sharp words from Board President Cayce Washington, 

“You, just like myself, went out and knocked on doors and asked people to vote for us and elect us. I didn’t even really know what the position paid. I really didn’t run for the payment as much as I did to serve the people,” Washington said.

Washington added he understands the job requires Stark to be on call all the time.

“But I understand you have some backup with Mrs. Debbie, that she can support you when you are out of town.  But that is part of the job requirements when you ran for the position,” Washington continued.  “Whether or not we can allow this raise will be discussed among this board, but those are things that need to be weighed on our side. But I hear what you are saying, other elected officials have received some raises, so it does sound like a fair request, I am not saying it is not.” Washington continued.

Stark’s Response

“Let me be clear on something,” Stark responded. “This doesn’t have anything to do with me being on call. I am not fussing about being on call or anything like that.  I know what this job entitles and pay has nothing to do with it, it is about providing a service to the community,” Stark said.  “Because with some of the things that you do and the time that you put in, you can’t account for that. My job is to provide a service to the community and I am just asking for a little bit of help with the cost of living,” Stark countered. 

“Okay, I think we all understand that,” Washington said. 

Stark’s only other request was funding to purchase two radios for himself and deputy coroner Jackson to allow communication with the dispatcher at the sheriff’s department.  

“It is also a safety issue, we get on a scene and may not have telephone service,” Stark told supervisors.

Washington also had questions about the requested radios.

“If you are awarded a radio, are you willing to forfeit the cell phones?” Washington asked about the phones provided by the county.

“That is two different things,” Stark answered.

 

“They are both communications,” Washington countered.

“It is, but I can’t call the funeral home to come pick a body up or call the crime lab,” Stark explained about the need for the county-issued cell phone in addition to the requested radios.

Supervisors will make a decision on his request during a budget meeting  (see related story, Page 1) scheduled Wednesday morning, August 16, along with other requests from department heads.   

Other requests discussed in Friday’s meeting included:

• The county’s garbage clerk, Casey Byford, requested an additional $450 for office supplies and $300 to purchase a computer billing program for the county’s rubbish landfill operation. 

• Yalobusha Tax Assessor/Collector Linda Shuffield asked for minimal increases for postage and legal advertising fees for the delinquent tax land sale. She also explained the land sale advertising fees are recouped by the county as part of the charges assessed for delinquent taxes.

She also requested an increase for her employees’ wages and a $5,000 increase for installation for a computer-aided drafting program for property card sketches used in her offices.

• Circuit Clerk Daryl Burney requested a small raise for his employees in the circuit clerk’s office 

“They do a good job, it runs like clock-work,” Burney said. 

Burney also requested additional money for part-time help, explaining that if one of his deputies is sick and he is in court, he needed backup.

Burney also told supervisors that his election budget had money left over because of a light year on election expenses. He proposed using the excess money, $12,444.75, to the debt owed for the purchase of election equipment. Burney said only one annual note would be remaining if the money is allocated for an extra payment.

“We appreciate you doing that,” Washington said about request to retire the debt early.

• Mississippi State Extension Service County Coordinator Pamela Redwine requested her office’s budget remain the same.

• Justice Court Clerk Carol Wilbourn requested a small increase for office supplies. A request to spend money already appropriated in the current year’s budget to attend a convention in September to learn about new court rules implemented in July was granted during Friday’s meeting.

Washington also noted that other budget increases requested for justice court, both by the Justice Court Judges Janet Caulder and Steve Riley and Wilbourn, were for meals and lodging and travel for conference, office supplies and equipment, a raise for Wilbourn, printing, contractual labor, records and books and binders.

In response to the fees requested for travel, Washington reiterated his personal stance not to increase a budget to reimburse elected officials for travel to conventions that aren’t mandated for an elected official to hold an office.

“My personal feeling, I went out and campaigned to serve this county, as did everyone else that went out and knocked on doors and campaigned,” Washington said.  “Cayce Washington as a person can’t go out and have taxpayers pay my conference fees. The first year I was in, the county did reimburse me for some stuff. But since then I have chosen not to,” he added.

• Sheriff Lance Humphreys requested a raise for his dispatchers and jail administrator. He said the current pay is $1,800 per month.

•  Citing work-load statistics, Chancery Clerk Amy McMinn requested funding for a part-time deputy after the position was cut last year due to budgetary issues.