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Putnam County approves employee match increase, credit-burn resolution and amends Chamber contract
Summary
The board approved raising the county's defined contribution match to 4%, authorized a resolution to pay down accumulated liabilities, approved the 2026 LMIG road list, and amended the Chamber of Commerce contract allocation from 58% to 55%, each by recorded votes.
Putnam County commissioners on Dec. 16 approved a package of personnel, financial and contracting actions. The board authorized a resolution to increase the county match for the defined contribution retirement plan to 4% to align benefits with neighboring counties; County Manager Paul Van Haute explained the change and public commenter Barb Vargo raised employee retention and pension-related concerns. The motion to authorize the chairman to sign the defined-contribution resolution passed with Commissioners McElhenney, Garrett and Wooten voting yea.
The board also approved a resolution described by staff as an "accumulated credit burn," intended to pay down liabilities the county accrued over several years. County Manager Van Haute explained the purpose as reducing prior liabilities; the board voted to authorize the chairman to sign that resolution with the same recorded yea votes.
On capital projects, the board approved the 2026 LMIG (Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant) project list after County Manager Van Haute outlined the candidate roads. Public commenter Billy Webster raised specific local road concerns, including Scuffleboro Road in District 4.
On contracting, the board considered the Chamber of Commerce contract for 2026. Commissioner Richard Garrett moved to table the contract but the motion failed for lack of a second. Commissioners Tom McElhenney and Jeff Wooten then moved to amend the contract allocation from 58% to 55%; the amendment passed with Chairman Bill Sharp, Commissioner McElhenney and Commissioner Wooten voting in favor and Commissioner Garrett voting nay. The amended contract was approved by the same vote split.
