Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies asked to take concessions and question why county board didn't do the same
Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies are expected to vote on a new contract today that includes wage concessions.
Those concessions may be easier to swallow had the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners agreed to also take concessions, union president Harry Valentine wrote in an e-mail to officials.
Valentine, president of the Police Officers Association of Michigan's WCSD chapter, sent an e-mail to County Administrator Verna McDaniel on Nov. 26 voicing his opinion.
In it, he said his first concern is the county will want further wage concessions if this contract is approved.
“The second (concern) is about the BOC not taking concessions,” he wrote. “That is hurting us. Members have said ‘I understand and support the concession package but the board should do the same’. It would help if they would reconsider and take the concession. My job would be a lot easier. Hope you all had a good holiday.”
Officials declined to say what kind of wage concessions the deputies are being asked to take. AnnArbor.com was unable to reach Valentine for comment.
The average deputy’s salary and benefits are $58,381 and $33,774, respectively, according to the county.
The most recent effort to cut commissioners’ compensation failed before it was brought to a vote at the final meeting of the year on Dec. 1. Commissioner Conan Smith was prepared to bring forth a resolution to further limit per diems, but opted not to after finding a lack of support prior to the meeting.
A resolution by Commissioner Leah Gunn to eliminate the $25 per diem payments on top of each commissioner's $15,500 salary was rejected by a 6-5 vote at the Nov. 17 meeting. The county potentially faces a structural deficit of $15 million to $20 million for the two-year budget cycle for 2012 and 2013.
Commissioner Wes Prater, who voted against the per diem cuts, pointed out the board has not received a wage increase since Jan. 1, 2001. By his estimate, the board has saved the county roughly $30,000 by not taking raises.
“The deputies are a good bunch of men and women, I respect them very much and I’ve never asked them to do anything I wouldn’t do,” Prater said. “The commissioners did take a decrease in compensation … and when people start talking about Board of Commissioners not doing their share, I don’t agree with that. I think we do our share.”
Prater and several other commissioners pointed out the board cut its budget by 17 percent in 2009, at the beginning of the two-year budget cycle.
Sheriff's deputies will vote on a new contract with concessions.
Smith, who voted to eliminate the per diems, said that fact gets lost. But he added he understands why the union might be upset.
“Our debate probably didn’t help (Valentine) much,” he said.
Outgoing Commissioner Jeff Irwin, who voted against continuing per diems, also pointed to the board’s budget cut two years ago. Still, he said, commissioners should be taking another cut in tough economic times.
“That’s one of the many reasons why I voted for Commissioner Gunn’s resolution to eliminate the per diems,” he said. “I think in times of austerity, when we’re asking our employees to take cuts to their compensation, we need to do the same with our budget …
per diem is a tangible and obvious way to do it.”
Commissioner Kristin Judge voted to continue per diems. She said the board now has limits to its spending and internal financial controls that weren't there before last Jan. 1. She said she also asked commissioners to consider cutting their health care and pensions, which is a much larger expense than per diems. She also pointed to the board’s wage freeze.
“The Board of Commissioners is the only employee unit in the county that hasn’t had any increase in pay over last 10 years — no pay increase at all — and we decreased our budget by $39,000 for items like per diem, travel and other expenses," she said.
Tom Perkins is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
Roadman
Wed, Dec 15, 2010 : 6:44 p.m.
dfossil: Thank you for your observation. I could not put it better myself. The County Commission tries to get county employees to voluntarily acccpet pay cuts but are unable to cut their own remuneration. Michigan State House members voluntarily took pay reductions and now have some moral standing to push other state employee collective bargaining units to agree to manpower and pay decreases. Citizens should back Tom Wieder's campaign to eliminate per diems as soon as possible.
dfossil
Wed, Dec 15, 2010 : 5:32 p.m.
We all saw this coming when the commissioners first said they would not take cuts. Every employee, union or not, will use this to refuse cuts for themselves. This right along with the School Board wanting to up the salary ahead of recruiting a superintendent, broadcasting to one and all where to start negotiating and with an audit that showed 3.4 million overused in budget. The fiscal stupidity of our various Boards and Commissions is beyond belief. It actually has nothing to do with right or wrong nor amounts but the perception of the issue. The Commissioners have not had an increase for years but the appearance of intransigence on their part is all that's needed to set up this fight.
Kristin Judge
Wed, Dec 15, 2010 : 1:44 p.m.
@Roadman "Not only do most of the commissioners have full-time jobs, but their salaries are something that other county board and commission appointees do not get. how much do road commissioners and substance abuse advisory council members get? Next to zero!" Actually, of the sitting board members, only 3 have full-time jobs. Many of us do this full-time. Understanding the budget and needs of a 1,400 person organization takes some effort. We are responsible for a $100 million general fund and another $100 in federal and state grants. Not sure you want volunteers managing that. Road Commissioners are paid a salary of $10,000/year plus expenses. I believe their budget is closer to $40 million. One way to look at the per diem issue is this: Commissioners are required to sit on up to 33 committees in the county. Some commissioners sit on 4 or 5 committees some sit on 0. The commissioners who go to over 60+ additional meetings a year get paid more than the ones that go to the basic board meetings (if they collect the per diem). For example, the commissioner who is the liaison to the road commission is not only required to attend all the county board meetings, but all the road commission meetings too. Should that commissioner make the same amount as others? The system was broken, but has been fixed. Tom, I will just have to agree to disagree with you on this one. I encourage all of you to come to a meeting and/or call your commissioners. Many of them are not going to read this blog, but they need to hear your concerns. We have public comment every 1st and 3rd Wednesday and Thursday. With the next budget cycle coming up, be a part of the conversation! Call or email me with any questions/concerns/suggestions at: judgek@ewashtenaw.org or 646-2088.
Kristin Judge
Wed, Dec 15, 2010 : 11:28 a.m.
@Roadman, "Well, I am in favor of a strong County Executive government for Washtenaw but not to gain control by my favorite political party. Washtenaw County has no direction. We need a leader with vision" Thanks for being a part of this important conversation. I completely agree that we are lacking vision. If you read the minutes from this past two years, you will notice that I have been asking the board to meet and discuss priorities. It is hard enough to talk about making county government smaller and cutting programs, but with the declining revenue we may be heading that way. It is the job of the board to set priorities for the staff to use when creating a budget. I have already been meeting with the incoming commissioners and believe there will be a positive change on the board. The actual per diem spending by all commissioners combined this year as of 11-17-10 was approximately $8,300. That number no longer has an unlimited line item. The conversation should focus more on life-time health care and pension for commissioners serving 16 years. That is what I tried to get rid of but the per diem was more of a hot topic because of the high numbers from prior to the board rule change in 2010. If anyone wants to see commissioner spending cuts, visit www.kristinjudge.com and click on my expenses. I am going to be asking for the entire commissioner budget (actual spending) to be added to the Open Book Transparency site. Credit cards and salaries are coming soon. The more information is made easily accessible by the public, the more responsible everyone will be with spending. Commissioner Prater and I were also able to get passed an RFP for an internal financial audit. There is no record of when the last one was done. Leadership is needed, but it is not easy to change everything overnight.
Cash
Wed, Dec 15, 2010 : 5:06 a.m.
Roadman, Well, I am in favor of a strong County Executive government for Washtenaw but not to gain control by my favorite political party. Washtenaw County has no direction. We need a leader with vision. Although I am a strong Democrat, I am more concerned about my county than politics. I've taken time to read all of the commission minutes and meeting data from their website. Nothing there shows a clear vision. So in my opinion instead of fighting about which party would best serve us, or critiquing another poster's choice of political leanings, whatever party would win, a strong county leader is needed.
Roadman
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 11:14 p.m.
MakeADifference: It has already been done in Macomb County. The Democrats slashed the County Commission from 26 to 13 members by getting a referendum on the county ballot and establishing a charter commisssion to rewrite the entire structure of the county government and creating a county executive position. The Democrats held a 21-5 majority on the County Commission and had a similar majority on the newly-minted Charter Commission. Democratic Party know-it-alls in Lansing literally drafted a new proposed county charter and re-apportioned the 26 county commission districts down to 13 with new lines and sent it to the charter commission for passage, which it did approve post-haste and easily passed with voters. The whole thing however backfired badly on the Democratic brain trust in Lansing. In November of 2010, the GOP took 6 of 13 seats in the new County Commission and the Republicans were within 208 votes in a seventh district seat race to win and gain the first Republican majority on the County Commission in Macomb County history. GOP leaders in Macomb now believe they can attain a majority of seats in 2012. Macomb County Republican delegates also voted in a Tea Party activist as their new county chairman after a raucus 4-hour county convention that received extensive news coverage. The Macomb County Democratic Party has $1.8 million in its coffers compared to about $35,000 in the county GOP treasury, but the county GOP is within a whisker of becoming a majority party in that county. The same phenomenon is occurring in Washtenaw County. By 2012 the Washtenaw County GOP may be within striking distance of gaining a majority of county offices. A restructuring and downsizing of the County Commission in this county may help the GOP in realizing its goal as they have in Macomb County.
Roadman
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 10:47 p.m.
Tom Wieder states: "As the individual who brought to light Mark Ouimet's abuse of the system, I fully support getting it entirely." What about all the other commissioners flagged by the audit, such as you fellow Democrats Barbara Levin Bergman and Ken Schwartz? Maybe the voters in Ken's district picked up on your keen per diem exposures and decided to replace him with a Republican by a slim margin; perhaps your per diem abuse story made a difference in knocking one long-term Democrat off the County Commission, and for that I thank you, Tom. Tom, its the ultraliberal Democrats such as yourself who are at least partially responsible for the resurgence of the GOP in Washtenaw County. It is now Tea Party activists, Ron Paul supporters, and right-wing ultraconservatives that now comprise the newly-elected majority of the membership of the Washtenaw County Republican Party Executive Committee. These include Ann Arbor's Adam DeAngeli, Chase Ingersoll, Mr. Bigler and others. But there is one thing, Tom, you and I stand together on 100% - let's get rid of per diems entirely. I applaud your presence at public commentary and think you should keep up the good fight. We need only one more commissioner to vote our way and per diems will be gone - at least following 2012. Maybe by the elections in 2012 the Tea Party juggernaut will take over Washtenaw County government. It's good to hear from you again, Tom.
MakeADifference
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 10:26 p.m.
Quickest, best way to reduce Commissioner Pay? Go from 11 commissioners to a more manageable 5 or 7. Arguing about per diems distracts from the big picture. Write to Clerk Kestenbaum, Treasurer Mcclary, and Prosecutor Mackee, Cleveland Chandler (d) and Mark Boonstra (r). Tell them when they get the Census numbers for Washtenaw that you want fewer commissioners. Ideal size for a board - 7 people, 5 would save even more money. More people does not make better government. Writer Tom can you get more about this?
Tom Wieder
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 10:11 p.m.
Basic Bob - you are wrong. Per diems are not reimbursement for expenses; they are a form of compensation. Unfortunately, the statute which forbids changing Commissioner compensation during the two-year term is very broadly written. I haven't been able to figure a way around it, and I've been trying. Here's the relevant language: MCL 46.415. Compensation and mileage reimbursement for commissioners; change in compensation Sec. 15. (1) A member of the county board of commissioners shall receive the compensation and mileage reimbursement fixed by resolution of the county board of commissioners... (3)...changes in compensation shall become effective only after the time members of the county board of commissioners commence their terms of office after a general election, provided that it is voted upon before the commencement of the new terms of office... (4) This section shall not be construed to prohibit a structured change in compensation implemented in phases over the term of office. I'm not sure what is intended by "structured change in compensation" mentioned in (4). Maybe, there's an opening there.
AlphaAlpha
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 8:25 p.m.
"The commissioners are part time politicians. They have other jobs that are full time. There's no comparison between the two." Mr. Valentine Probably should have comprehended this key fact before emailing...
Cash
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 8:22 p.m.
stunshif, So the deputies are evil because they are in a union? And the county commissioners are good because they are not in a union? The commissioners are part time politicians. They have other jobs that are full time. There's no comparison between the two. The full time county administrator and her staff does get a good salary and excellent benefits. But it's okay. She's not in a union.
stunhsif
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 8:17 p.m.
Amalie Nash stated: "This story has been updated with the average salary and benefits of a county deputy. The average deputys salary and benefits are $58,381 and $33,774, respectively, according to the county." Point being folks,when benefits cost the taxpayer 57% of the police officers base salary, as they say in the movies, "Houston, we have a problem". Why on Gods green earth are we so stupid as to continue to fund these benefits for those whose salaries are supported by our incomes, I for one am fed up and won't stand for this moving forward.
David Briegel
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 8:06 p.m.
NOW that the abuser is gone (promoted) you guys want to get tough. In my opinion the Commissioners aren't overpaid. They haven't had an increase since 2001. They have tightened the standards and oversight for expenses and per diem. We don't need a recall. We just had an honest election. And half a million is nothing compared to 22.5 Million!
stunhsif
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 8:05 p.m.
To compare what the elected Board of Commissioners are paid versus the union Sheriff's department is "laughable". The BOC has not had a raise in 10 years and they don't get healthcare or pension benefits to my knowledge. Am I wrong with what I stated? Seriously, to compare elected local officials who get no pension or healthcare from their jobs is a joke. Their pay is around 15 grand and again, no pay raises in 10 years. Time to bust the unions, get rid of pensions and lifetime healthcare benefits. I personally cannot afford to pay a cop that retires at age 52 healthcare benefits for 40 years when he dies at age 92. I have no pension, no healthcare after retirement and I have what one would consider a good job in the private sector. Good Day No Luck Needed
AlphaAlpha
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7:59 p.m.
Ms. Nash, Mr. Pepple - When you state: "The average deputys salary and benefits are $58,381 and $33,774, respectively, according to the county." 'According to the county...' What (or who) is the primary source for that data? How can we verify these numbers? The compensation numbers seem low. Do these numbers reflect grand total compensation? Or just the theoretical 'base' pay, and base benefits? Do these numbers include the cherished overtime premium pay? Do these numbers include all benefits? Do they include the all the various special payment categories such as 'hazard' pay, special service pay, travel pay, etc? Do the numbers include uniform pay? Sidearm pay? Other equipment pay? What was the grand total paid for labor last year, and how many deputies shared that money? That number is average total compensation, and it is likely substantially larger than the values quoted by the county.
Momma G
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7:12 p.m.
What is the salary difference between commissioners and deputies? I think everyone should be expected to make concessions at this point in time.
beaumont_slave
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7:05 p.m.
thank you bob. what was it that could be voted on in 2 years?
Basic Bob
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 6:46 p.m.
@beaumont_slave, The per diem and travel amounts can be eliminated at any time, because it is not compensation (salary). It is reimbursement for expenses. All it takes is action from the board.
Roadman
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 6:13 p.m.
One thing that needs to be pointed out. Not only do most of the commissioners have full-time jobs, but their salaries are something that other county board and commission appointees do not get. how much do road commissioners and substance abuse advisory council members get? Next to zero!
beaumont_slave
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 5:25 p.m.
The nervy part of this whole per diem vote was how underhanded it was. knowing that it couldnt be voted on for 2 more years. what ever happened to " public service." I think it's time for a recall. Im tired of getting the shaft with public officials who try and explain away everything with " all that we've done". How many county workers have taken concessions in the last few years,, unpaid days off and those that have lost their jobs. and yet the commish's think it's ok for them to give up anything.. and how many have medical insurance from their other job? why do we have to pay for more? many of us have no insurance tyvm
RuralMom
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 3:10 p.m.
The deputies are a good bunch of men and women, I respect them very much and Ive never asked them to do anything I wouldnt do, Prater said. The commissioners did take a decrease in compensation and when people start talking about Board of Commissioners not doing their share, I dont agree with that. I think we do our share. Mr.Prater, its not for you to agree or disagree with, its the publics perception that the commissioners are not doing their share, arguing with this public perception instead of trying to find common ground, only makes the situation worse.
YpsiLivin
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 1:19 p.m.
Let's see... the deputies want to know why the Board of Commissioners didn't vote to cut their own pay? What was that old story about a fox guarding the chicken coop? I'm with Cash on this one: recall the existing county commissioners and severely reduce the pay of their replacements unless the County Commission can demonstrate that it's worth the money we're spending on them.
Cash
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 11:23 a.m.
I get an email almost daily from WCSD reporting the crime activity, alerts, break ins, arrests, etc. I am wondering why Ann Arbor.com doesn't post that email. I think it might help readers who don't get that email know what the officers are doing every day. Then perhaps we can get an email from the county commissioners with their daily accomplishments?
Bonsai
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 11:07 a.m.
Oh, wait, three clicks and I found it: 2011 "personal services" budget for BOC: $261,652 total BOC budget: $512,473 "personal services" budget item for "sheriff police services": $18.2 million total sheriff police services budget: $22.6 million. Hmmmm.
Bertha Venation
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 11:03 a.m.
I agree that the police officers (and fire fighters) work very hard for their compensation, and I would much rather pay them for doing their job, than to pay a commissioner for sitting in a cushy chair doing nothing. Get rid of the commissioners AND CITY COUNCIL!!
Bonsai
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 11:02 a.m.
Dear AnnArbor.com, Unless I have read this too quickly or not carefully enough, some basic information was not included that would help us readers evaluate the claims of the deputies and county commissioners. Namely, >what is the total budget for the commissioners, and what portion of that is personnel/per-diem/etc.? >what is the total budget for the sheriff's office, and what portion of that is personnel/salary/benefits? I suspect that the board of commissioners could give up its entire budget and not make a significant dent in the structural deficit. I don't suspect the same thing for the sheriff's office. Therefore, I tend to think the deputy's insistence on cuts from the commissioners is symbolic and a bargaining tactic. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course...
Tom Wieder
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 10:34 a.m.
This story highlights some of the continuing problems with the Commissioners' per diem system. As the individual who brought to light Commissioner Mark Ouimet's abuse of the system, I fully support getting rid of it entirely. But this is a somewhat separate issue from the issue of the Commissioners sharing the sacrifice that other county employees are being asked to make. In essence, the basic compensation for Commissioners has declined in real terms every year for the last 10, since their pay is the same as what it was in 2001. I'm sure that every other county position has had substantial increases over that period. The Commissioners should get a fixed salary and no per diems, which are really just extra pay for doing part of their jobs. What should that salary be? I'm tempted to suggest that it simply be tied to a particular grade on the county's salary scale and move with that. Unfortunately, that would probably not make very many people happy, as Commissioner pay would probably move up steadily over time, without them having to vote themselves a specific pay increase. If that approach had been used for the past decade, their pay would be higher than it is today. The per diems are an unnecessary distraction from a rational discussion of what Commissioners should be paid. They look and feel a bit sneaky and questionable - getting "extra" pay for going to meetings that are part of the job. If they were eliminated, a more dispassionate consideration of what Commissioners should be paid might be possible.
Heather
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 9:38 a.m.
The number of deputies in the Sheriff's Department has been reduced since 2001, hasn't it? And I wouldn't be surprised to learn that crime has increased since 2001, too. That means that our deputies are being asked to do more work than they did in 2001. I think that they deserve a raise, not a salary cut.
ezbngreen
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 9:34 a.m.
I just looked on the county website for job opportunities and listed Corrections Officer starting pay 35k to 55k. This would lead me to believe that if you have been around for many years and have topped out your pay would be 55k. If you are a new hire your pay would be 35k respectively. There is also a job listing for Community Service Officer at a lower salary of 30k to 41k. I would also assume that benefits would in addition to this pay. I am happy that I have a stable job and fortunate enough to have a descent salary and not have one of these thankless jobs. Hats off to anyone who wants to take on the challenges of this type of work. I'll pay my taxes and hope that it filters down far enough to get them a raise. As for our fearless Board of Commissioners. Lead by example; I know your job is not charity work but I would assume with the wages you draw from this that your position with the county is not your primary income. I think the deputies have a more than valid point.
walker101
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 9:33 a.m.
How about Union official's taking a concession also, or reduce union dues?
golfer
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 9:17 a.m.
they do the same in washington. you give up but we do not want to?
Salinemary
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 9:07 a.m.
@ Heardoc - $58,000/year in wages is not overpaid. Would you do what a police officer does for $58,000/year? Not me. I'm glad they do what they do and I think they deserve what they are paid.
Steve Pepple
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 9:06 a.m.
The deputy salary numbers in the story have been updated with more accurate information. The original numbers were for a patrol unit, which included supervisory costs. A couple of comments that were made in reaction to the earlier information have been removed.
Cash
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 9:01 a.m.
Huron74, I can and will be willing to pay deputies. I'm not feeling any love for the commissioners and see no reason my tax money should go for the outrageous expense vouchers that were reported last month. See, in my book people need to earn their money. Heartwarming or not, if YOU are in an accident and seriously hurt, I'll bet your whispered words wouldn't be "Call a county commissioner". See, it's not heartwarming unless you want it to be...saving lives for cops and firefighters and EMTs..... is reality.
Go Blue
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 8:39 a.m.
WOW!!! How about that - good to learn that the board of commissioners are more important and relevant than the police, fire, etc. and THEIR payscales must remain intact because they are so important and necessary. Anyone out there that received a salary increase and gets milage or per diem, raise your hand. Thought not. Its the old 'do as I say, not as I do.'
Cash
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 8:26 a.m.
Justice4all, You are correct. To be clear, I'm not a "rah rah" cop supporter and I never have been. I know there are good and bad cops. I'm not naive enough to think they are all perfect. But when someone was breaking into my house,and my life was on the line, I didn't call a county commissioner. When I fell and broke bones in my yard and finally crawled into my house, it was fire and EMTs who, in my house in 5 minutes came and comforted me and almost painlessly got me to ER. I never called a county commissioner. As a matter of reality I have never called a county commissioner for ANY thing! In my opinion we need a strong county executive like Oakland and Macomb. Our county government seems weak and fragmented. If someone says "Let's cut money in county government", I'd say get rid of the commissioners. The WCSD and Superior Township firefighters have saved my life. Pay them as thought YOUR life depends on it because it might....and stop messing with them!
Justice4all
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 8:08 a.m.
Over paid? While I was home yesterday due to the weather I think the officers were out working. Read the crash article I just finished reading. Tons of work for them. And while I was sleep in my nice warm bed last night they and the fire dept were out working a tragic fire. Read the second article I just read on the fire. Trying to compare union salary cuts to politicians perk cuts is what the article does and is the same thing we see on the national level. Unions cutting and leadership arguing to maintain their perks. The article points out that commissioners were not even considering salary, they were considering per diem aka perk.
Steve Pepple
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7:58 a.m.
A comment has been removed because of name-calling, which is a violation of our conversation guidelines.
GRANDPABOB
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7:36 a.m.
How many of these boc have other jobs? I'd say most of them. Their wages plus diems is kind bof steep for a secondary part time job.
Cash
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7:30 a.m.
Heardoc, What is your rationale for determining that the deputies are overpaid?
Heardoc
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7:25 a.m.
The attempt here to say that the commissioners should take cuts along with the deputies is very silly. Deputies have been overpaid for some time-- as is the case with most government workers. the commissioners are elected officials-- the deputies are employees. The Sheriff is elected -- did we cut his pay?
Cash
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7:24 a.m.
If only voters would take heed of this message! The commissioner who gave himself raises through outlandish expense claims, was elected to a higher position. The voters do not require accountability and until they do, nothing changes. In other words folks....this is our own fault. Deputies, hang tough. You are correct. Please keep up your fight. Maybe you can wake up the voting and non voting public!
Evelyn Griffin
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7:04 a.m.
I think the Deputies have a point. They are asked to take a cut in their PRIMARY INCOME, not so with the comissioners...let's get fair. EvieG
cinnabar7071
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 7 a.m.
They always know whats best for us. We should just lesson and not question them.
Tammy Mayrend
Tue, Dec 14, 2010 : 6:56 a.m.
I feel the same way about most management or government officials who say that times are tough and workers need to make concessions, especially when they won't (or don't) themselves.