Commissioner asks for input on employee contracts

Why the entire commission was not involved in conversation about contract renewal for the county administrator was a question brought to the table at the Dale County Commission meeting Nov. 24.

When agenda item Number 4—“administrator employment contract”—was brought to the table for a commission vote Dale County Commissioner Frankie Wilson expressed concern that the other commissioners were not involved in the discussion prior to it being a voting agenda issue.

Dale County Commission Chairman Steve McKinnon said that he, Dale County Commission Attorneys Henry Steagall and Matthew Simechak and Dale County Administrator Cheryl Ganey were the parties involved in the contract renewal negotiations.

“I think that for any future contract negotiations the full commission body should be involved from the first mention of a sit down to include any public talking section,” Wilson replied, adding that his concern was for all such contracts, not specifically the administrator’s contact. “I don’t think we need to be the last ones included in some of the language and moving forward. I’d like the full commission to be included in any discussion prior to moving forward.

“I certainly think this is just a draft,” Steagall said. “We ‘hashed out’ something that we could present to you. It’s final—but it’s what we could agree to. We added some things, we took out some things. It’s just a proposal.”

“My point is that the full commission should be involved in the ‘hashing out,’” Wilson replied. “For any contract.”

Steagall suggested that such a contract could be discussed at a commission work session. “That would be the appropriate place for it to be,” Wilson replied. “For any contract.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong but it would have to be in executive session,” McKinnon said.

“That is a problem,” Steagall replied. “You are not supposed to have an executive session to discuss an administrator’s contract. You can discuss ‘good name and character’ but you cannot even discuss job performance, under the law, in executive session on an administrator at this level so it’s kind of hard to do that.

“We could go into executive session to discuss certain things but the contract amount that’s something that’s got to be discussed in public. I know this can get awkward but that’s what the Open Meetings Law says—when you have any administrative official that has to file an ethics form you cannot go into executive session to discuss job performance and contract terms.

Steagall said that the new contract has a $5,000 increase in pay for Ganey. Wilson asked if she would also receive cost of living raises when the other employees received them. “Yes,” Steagall replied.

A graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a degree in accounting, Ganey’s resume included experience as an accountant for a Birmingham construction company and a Birmingham-based insurance company. She had served as Walker County Administrator since 2013 before coming to Dale County Jan. 23, 2018.

Steagall said that Ganey had a starting salary of $75,000 annually and with cost of living raises Ganey’s salary was now $79,585.

Wilson noted that with the $5,000 increase and a 3 percent cost of living increase, Ganey’s salary could reach some $92,000 over three years.

“Not only does she get that salary, but she gets all the other benefits—health insurance, retirement, vacation pay, annual leave, sick leave—that all employees get,” Steagall said, adding that Ganey gets mileage for travel outside Dale County.

“She had some things in there that I would not agree to so we took out some things and added some things,” Steagall said. “This contract certainly is open for discussion and doesn’t have to be voted on today.

“Actually the contract does not expire until January and today is actually the first time it’s come before the commission,” he added. “That’s the decision that you have to make.

“This is kind of a final draft. I’m not here to necessarily recommend this. I’m just saying this is what we kind of hashed out for y’alls consideration,” Steagall said. “If anybody objects, it has to lay over to the next meeting (for a vote).”

Dale County Commissioner Chris Carroll made the motion to approve the contract with no changes. Dale County Commissioner Charles “Chic” Gary seconded the motion.

Wilson cast the single dissenting vote.

Because the commission may only suspend the rules and vote on an issue at it’s first reading in a public meeting with a unanimous vote of the commission, the matter will be held over until the next voting meeting.

In unrelated business the commission approved appointments to the Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission Board. Ozark Mayor Mark Blankenship is appointed to serve through his term of mayoral office. Ozark Councilwoman Leah Harlow and Dianne Flournoy of Daleville are both appointed to serve until Dec. 31, 2023.

The next meeting of the Dale County Commission is Dec. 8 in the Dale County Government Building. A work session begins at 10 a.m. and is followed immediately by a voting meeting. Both meetings are open to the public. There will be no other commission meeting in December.