Published: January 03, 2007 08:48 am      

Bullock: I’ll run the county

New deputy judge, administrative assistant will garner pay raises of $10,000 per year

While presiding over his first fiscal court meeting, new county judge-executive Barty Bullock wanted to make it clear to everyone that he would be the county’s leader.

“I’m the judge and I’m going to run county government,” said Bullock during his first fiscal court meeting yesterday.

Bullock noted that in the months since he won the election, there have been rumors going around that he would be county judge in body only, but wouldn’t be the one actually pulling the strings. According to Bullock, that simply isn’t the case.

To start, Bullock announced plans for changes within his administration. That’s not to say anything was wrong with the previous administration, he noted — but nevertheless, he plans to do things differently.

“For the last seven months I’ve worked very hard to put my staff together,” said Bullock. “I think it is going to work well.”

For one, Bullock feels that his office needed two secretaries, because the deputy judge and administrative assistant would not be in his office — each would have an office of their own.

“I do not need the deputy judge or administrative assistant telling me how to run the county,” said Bullock.

Apparently the court concurred, as it gave approval for the two secretaries.

Bullock went on to add that he had not chosen anyone by who they are, but by who he believed will do a quality job. Bullock said he formed a committee to select his employees, one made up of a chairman and a member — God as the chairman and himself as the member.

Appointed to his staff were Donnie Girdler as deputy judge and Lorie Hines as administrative assistant, while the two secretaries named were Tiffany Finley and Donetta Smiley.

Bullock said that the deputy judge and administrative assistant would be doing some things differently — instead of being in his office helping to run the day-to-day operations of the county, they would be the ones going to Frankfort and other places talking to legislators and others to try to get money for the county.

“I believe together we can accomplish great things for the county,” said Bullock.

Because of the change in their duties, Bullock asked that the court approve a $10,000 pay raise for each of the positions.

That was the only point of contention for any of the magistrates during the meeting.

“I have no problem with who you picked,” said 1st District Magistrate Kenny Isaacs. “That’s your staff. I have a problem with their salary.”

Bullock pointed out that this group of magistrates had received a salary increase, thanks to district consolidation, and added that he hopes if funding is available in the future, all county employees would get a pay raise.

Fourth District Magistrate Glenn Maxey said he believed Girdler and Hines were both very qualified for the job that Bullock wanted them to do.

The court approved the pay raises, with Isaacs being the only vote against.

Other appointees included Steven Johnson as road supervisor, Tiger Robinson will continue as Disaster Emergency Management Director, and Arlene Young will be the Applicant’s Agent, as she has been before.

Bullock said that Harvey Hewitt, who has been serving as road supervisor, will stay in the position working with Johnson until Jan. 15.

These positions — as well as those for inventory control clerk for the road department, another mechanic at the fire training center, and an assistant treasurer — were approved. The inventory control clerk and the mechanic jobs will be posted and interviews will be conducted by the county judge. Marissa Vanhook will serve as assistant treasurer until Ethel Vanhook, who is finance officer, retires. At that time, Marissa Vanhook will take Ethel Vanhook’s place.

Before approving the new position for inventory control clerk and mechanic, Bullock asked the supervisors of those departments to explain why they were needed.

Hewitt said the amount of supplies and equipment requires a person who can be availabe to check inventory and make sure it comes back where it belongs. Meanwhile, Robinson said there are over 100 pieces of equipment that one mechanic currently takes care of, which is hard to keep up. He added that with the last truck he fixed, enough money was saved ($70,000) to pay for the new mechanic position.

Bullock said all other people who had worked for the county before will remain in their positions.

In other business:

• The court unanimously approved Bullock’s bond to act as judge-executive, as well as all other bonds for such officials as the sheriff, the sheriff’s head clerk, jailer, magistrates, and others that needed them.

• The court approved the jailer accepting bond fees.

• The court approved Bank Security Agreements to keep the county covered because FDIC only covers the county up to $100,000.

• The court set the schedule for future court meetings, which will remain, as always, at 10 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. However, Bullock asked that the next meeting be changed from Tuesday, Jan. 9, to Thursday, Jan. 11, so he can get some interviews conducted for job openings. The court approved both of these items.