A resolution to increase pay for employees on the “lower band” of Shelby County’s compensation scale – and above scheduled pay raises – was proposed during the Wednesday, Oct 24 Budget & Finance Committee meeting.
Commissioner Michael Whaley pitched the idea, as a way to boost pay for the Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk staff while abiding by the county’s compensation policy.
“We will submit to you all a proposal that addresses exactly those concerns,” replied Shelby County Budget Director Michael Thompson. “You all should be seeing that very soon.”
A rough draft is expected at the Monday, Oct 28 meeting.
The administration-drafted proposal would replace Commissioner Mickell Lowery’s resolution, that requested $215,00 for the raises.
The latter would be paid for by FY2024 revenues from the circuit court clerk’s office, which almost doubled its $1.4 million projection. The problem is, this year’s returns are lagging. Only $200,000 has officially brought in by the clerk’s office. At this time last year, the figure was $800,000.
If the numbers don’t increase, the county would be on the hook for the following year’s raise…and so on.
“You will have to set aside your compensation policy across the board, and just open a floodgate for every clerk, sheriff, whomever else that want to come down here and ask for pay increases,” said Thompson. “If you do that, be prepared to bankrupt Shelby County.”
The 2021 compensation policy agreement was crafted by the various clerks to create parity in pay. This would prevent employees from hopscotching from one agency to another for meager bumps in their paychecks.
It also curbs money-making offices – like the circuit court clerk – from gaining an upper hand in compensation.
“So I’d like to see it happen for your office, but I think it also needs to happen for offices that are not revenue-generating,” said Whaley.
No one from the clerk’s office objected to the proposal. There were no objections to Whaley’s motion to end the discussion either.
Although raises may have to wait for another day, Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk Jamita Swearengen didn’t come away from the meeting empty handed.
Commissioners approved a resolution 3-1 to provide additional funding to the circuit court clerk to shore up operations and management. The $107,904 will add padding to dwindling accounts that cover everything from paper supplies and computer repair, to the dry cleaning of judicial robes.
It will be paid for out of the circuit court clerk office’s FY2025 funds.
A second vote is expected at the Monday meeting.
Both resolutions were introduced during the Oct.14 meeting. They were sent down without recommendation, because they have not been reviewed by finance.
Commission Edmund Ford Jr. moved to suspend the rules for both items.
In addition to being underpaid, circuit court clerk staff have also taken on additional duties to cover a loss of manpower.
This occurred when an unnamed supervisor was dismissed in FY2024. With extra money to operate with, the salary was divvied up to cover administrative duties – before the appeals process was completed.
When the FY2025 funds were doled out, only 43 full-time positions were given to the office, down from 47 the year prior.
The loss hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“We have felt the sting because we have been informed there are a number of people working in several capacities, which impacts and stretches them and their ability to serve the judges,” said Judge Cedric Wooten, Circuit Court Judge Division 6.