The county’s contract with Don Clerici’s engineering firm, BM&K, will be renewed for one year after a motion by commissioner Dwain Smith to renew the contract for only three months failed Monday night.
The contract also calls for a four percent increase in the fees charged by the company. There is an “opt-out” clause that would allow the county or the company to end its relationship with 30 days notice.
Smith had made a motion, that was seconded by Tom Crow, that a three-month extension of the contract be approved in order to give the new county manager time to review it. This motion also included the provision that there be no four percent fee increase. Chairman Hunter Bicknell and commissioners Chas Hardy and Bruce Yates voted against the motion.
Smith said is “not right” for company to get four percent increase when regular county employees are not getting a salary increase and have furlough days.
“I don’t see getting a four percent increase in salary for a consultant or contractor when our county employees haven’t had a salary increase in four or five years,” Smith said. “It’s just not right…It’s not right for one group to get a raise and another group not to.”
Chairman Bicknell said the four percent increase would not necessarily go towards salaries. He said it could go toward other expenses.
Hardy asked if the county had compared the costs of other engineering firms in the area. Leonard said this has been done and BMK is lower on every item for comparable services.
Smith questioned some of the specific charges from the company, including $17,000 in engineering fees for a concrete pad and fence.
“We need to take a good, hard look at this,” he said.
Yates asked if the BOC could move forward on the agenda.
“Chairman, can we move on,” he asked Bicknell.
Smith responded, “This is pretty important.”
Bicknell said, “The motion (for a three month extension) failed.”
Smith added that he will continue to bring up costs from the company and other information in future meetings.
“I will be having discussions and figures at upcoming meetings as to how much we have spent,” he said.
I promise you this, when you frigging people are on the ballot again running for ANYTHING, you will not get votes from employees of this county. I hope Bicknell loses whatever he is running for,and goes and hide his head in the sand and takes the rest of the commissioners with him!!!!! Remember this... Employees of this county are voters too and they have family and friends that vote and those family and friends have family and friends that vote.It trickles down. Just remember that!! So you idiots go ahead and have your fun, because it won't be long till you are GONE!!!
Join me at the polls to exercise our one way of speaking that would be voting.
I also think it is high time Jackson County citizens formed a watch dog group over the monies spent. The good old boy days needs to end.
I am sick of paying such over priced taxes and getting nothing in return but waste and to see the cronies do the good old boy slaps on the back. Affectionately speaking we are getting the Screws put to us.
So why is it on Jackson Trail the county pours a beautiful square concrete ditch, at the horse farm, then tears it up, adds a culvert, and brings a truck load of cement blocks?
We the highest paid tax payers for real estate around should question why they do a job then 6 months later rip it all out.
Waste of money? Not sure.
I am sick and tired of the media trying to portray government workers as over paid and lazy. At the local level they are not paid enough for the rank in file. Higher up well bet they get the money and perks.
My opinion is the leadership is corrupt at the local, state and federal level. Wait a minute let me get off the floor laughing we all Washington is corrupt.
so before you cry you are under paid overworked, look around at the non Govt employees who do the same thing you do for less money and less benifits and less time with pay Off!!!
then count how fortunate you are before you cry you dont get paid what your worth!!!!
As for the constant county employee whining it's getting old. Frankly I speak for a ton of folks that are tired of you people coming on blogs and talking about raises or complaining because someone else got a cost of living increase etc. Did it ever occur to you the BOC members and mangers read your comments ?
Stop complaining and please stop with the we are voters too garbage. Don't like your job quit because there is a long line of people who would love to have it.
The real problem county employees is all the debt Fletcher, Sammie T and Beshera and Tony Beatty and that BOC voted in.... it is still haunting us today.
What is this expense to us the taxpayer? Wonder if if it is a favor to someone?
County employees been there over a week.
He wants to run Jackson like it is 1965 and has cost every tax payer in the county $. If you want to know why clerici is still around look no further then his good buddy Tom Crowe.
We need a whole new BOC until the currant group is removed nothing will change.
This is a bunch of crap 10K for a freakin ditch for the good ole boy I mean girl network?
I want a rebate on my taxes.
? Oh thats right you don't have to be lowest bid just be a friend to a commissioner.Bid on a piece of equipment change the specks to cheaper but get full price, thats how to make more. Of course the department head has to sign off on it , in the best interest of the commissioner THE FRIEND.
Also wrote to this newspaper about the work at the Foxwood Horse farm and no response.
Hello newspaper anyone home?
Your posts are silly. You say we are all ignorant and not schooled? Let me know and I will be happy to throw down my degrees, license, resumes, and experience.
The theme on the posts are correct let the bidding system work in an honest and fair manner. Do you not think there is more than '1' such firm in Georgia?
The commissioner in my district will not even answer an email. Pure arrogance does not think he is accountable.
So I can only assume you are one of them. The fact that elected officials will not answer a question about the work at Foxwood is inexcusable. After all on a small scale me and my family paid for the work and materials.
My personal opinion is JC is as corrupt as the federal officials.
In my 5+ years of living here one thing is clear if you are not one of them then you are outsider and not of the good old boys.
You may be an expert in whatever but the law should be followed.
There are NO checks and balances in this county which is the main reason our country is in trouble.
And the ones who might not have the degrees and so called education know right from wrong.
End of rant.