Well Jasper County tax-paying citizens, the Jasper County Council has done it to us again.
It did not matter to them that so many of us pleaded with them "not to hire an assistant administer," at this time. They thumbed their noses at us and allowed the administrator to hire one anyway.
Chairman (LeRoy) Blackshear, in a news interview, told us several months ago that it was a done deal. He did not care what we had to say. Councilman (Theo) Drayton told the crowd at a council meeting that "we would get over it" if we were hurting.
The administrator already has four deputy administrators. They renamed them so it would look as though he did not have the help he needs. They have the same salaries and do the same work, over seeing their departments. They just have a new title.
We already have around 10 of these such employees that oversee the daily functions of their departments.
What will these employees do now that the council has allowed the administrator to hire another employee to do the same job as they do?
A new employee who will make $74,000 plus about 33 percent more for fringe benefits. Seems to me as though we are paying several highly paid employees to do the same jobs. If I remember correctly, the administrator was hired to do the job of administrating the functions of the county. That is why he is making the high salary of over $100,000 plus about 33 percent for benefits plus traveling expenses.
I do not have to tell you that Jasper County is one of the poorest counties in South Carolina, with more employees per capita than any county in South Carolina. Since all of us know how the economy is booming (we wish) we need an administrator who will dedicate all of his time in economic development. Times are bad for all us and they raised our taxes, why would they not cut expenses instead of hiring another employee at this time? They cut several of the positions in emergency services. They should have put those positions back in instead. Total salaries for all employees is over $11,000,000.
I looked at the budget. I saw only three signatures that signed to approve it. Councilmen (Henry) Etheridge and (Marty) Sauls did not sign to approve the budget that raised our taxes.
I hope you will remember next June at the primary election who voted to raise our taxes and hire an unnecessary employee.

Gladys Jones
Tax-paying citizen of Jasper County