The Fannin County Board of Commissioners have indefinitely tabled a decision to provide hazard pay to front-line workers following continued discussion during a meeting Tuesday, September 8.
Post Two Commissioner Glenn Patterson started the discussion by explaining that he had yet to come to a conclusion on what the best decision to make regarding hazard pay was, however he said, “I think employees that work for Fannin County, all employees, are top notch people and worthy of high recognition. It’s not just public safety. However, public safety has certainly stepped up to the plate and demonstrated extraordinary courage and resolve in battling the pandemic.”
Patterson asked department heads if they had anything to add to the discussion. EMA Director Robert Graham, 911 Director Patrick Cooke and Fire Chief Larry Thomas discussed their departments’ challenges and hard work in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Magistrate Judge Brian Jones added that his staff was also considered essential and had been working in hazardous situations throughout the pandemic.
“We’re considered on the front line too,” Jones said. “We didn’t have anything protecting us through March up through July. The Sheriff’s Office, GBI or anybody at state patrol can’t get a warrant or a citation because we’ve got to do first appearances. I feel my staff should be included, because we’re on the front line also. We’re essential. We had to be here, and we never shut down. We ran a full-time office. We’re in as much contact as the bailiffs, and the bailiffs downstairs should get it. I think the frontline personnel … meet everybody coming through the door. They’re in our courtrooms just like everybody else, and we’re still open and running court.
“All I think is there’s a lot more to be included. I’m all for the law enforcement are the front line, and the EMS, absolutely give it to them before you even consider us, but I think there should be some consideration for the court system also and it’s workers.”
Post One Commissioner Earl Johnson explained that he still felt the board needed more information from the state on who was eligible to receive the hazard pays funds in order for the county to properly be reimbursed.
“At this time … we really don’t have a clear guideline as to what is and is not allowable for us to pay or not to pay,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to cause troubles in the future. Anything legal that I believe we can compensate them, I think we should compensate them for. I’m not saying I’m against compensation, but what I’m saying is that until we get a clearer picture over who qualifies for this money and it not cause problems six months, 10 months down the road, I don’t think we need to pay anything.”
County Attorney Lynn Doss said she would look into the matter further and see what surrounding counties have chosen to do regarding hazard pay.
Chairman Stan Helton suggested indefinitely tabling the decision and allowing the new administration, who will take office in January, to make the decision for the employees of the county.
“I honestly feel that at this point, since we’re in the process of getting that money and putting it in the bank, and if we decide to, to just let the new incoming administration have another four months … if they want to do or if they don’t want to do it, let them really dig into it,” Helton said. “If we make a decision now to give out hazard pay to folks, and then state comes back as they have shown locally, that if you don’t follow the guidelines when they issue money, they’re going to make you pay it back. … I don’t want to put a new administration in that position.”
The board voted to indefinitely table the discussion until more information was provided or a deadline was placed on the decision from the state.