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Long County holds budget public hearings as commissioners debate pay process and equipment requests
Summary
Long County held two public hearings in June 2021 on the 2021–22 budget, where Chairman Robert Parker outlined proposed salary increases and vehicle purchases and Commissioner Florence Baggs pressed for written performance evaluations tied to raises.
Chairman Robert Parker opened the Long County Board of Commissioners’ first public hearing on the 2021–2022 budget on June 1, 2021, and said the draft budget includes proposed increases in salaries, funding for a 4‑H van and a new vehicle for probation.
Parker told the board that longevity pay is not tied to performance and that department heads should propose any pay increases for their staffs. Commissioner Florence Baggs said she wants to meet with staff about salaries and requested written employee evaluations and details on what percentage increases would be applied.
No members of the public provided verbal or written comments at the June 1 hearing. Parker closed that session and reopened a second public hearing on the budget on June 15, 2021; Baggs again asked whether the hearings were being conducted correctly and renewed her request for written evaluations and a clear method for calculating raises.
Why it matters: salary and benefits levels determine the county’s fiscal obligations for the coming year and affect county employees across departments. Baggs’ request for written performance evaluations would tie raises to documented reviews rather than longevity alone.
The board did not vote on the budget during the hearings; the sessions were opportunities for discussion and public input. The hearings were recorded as part of the official minutes and were closed by Chairman Parker at their respective adjournments.
