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Commissioners forward amended pay increase to full Blount County commission after heated debate
Summary
The Blount County commission committee voted to forward an amended resolution that would substantially raise monthly commissioner pay, after lengthy debate about funding, attendance incentives and timing; the committee vote was 11-5 and staff said the increase would be funded from fund balance.
The Blount County Board of Commissioners' workshop committee voted Thursday to forward an amended resolution that would raise commissioner compensation after an extended debate over the size of the increase and where the money would come from. The committee recorded 11 yes votes and five no votes and moved the item to the full commission for final action on June 18.
The proposal discussed at the workshop would change the commissioners' monthly pay formula to a fixed rate derived from a percentage of the county clerk's salary. During debate one commissioner summarized the impact as raising monthly pay "from about $45 a month to $1,145.85," a figure discussed by multiple speakers during the meeting. County finance staff told the committee the cost would be covered from the county fund balance; committee discussion placed the one-time or first-cycle cost near $176,000.
Supporters said the increase reflects the time commitment and out-of-pocket costs elected officials absorb when they perform the job thoroughly. "If you do your homework, that $45 a month won't even pay my gas bill," one sponsor said, arguing the work often extends beyond public meetings. Several commissioners described committee and constituent work that they said takes many hours outside formal meetings.
Opponents raised fairness and timing concerns. Several commissioners urged that any pay increase be tied to attendance or performance, or be smaller and phased in. One commissioner said the proposed jump was "a 200% increase" and described it as too large to approve outside the budget process; another said the commission should have proposed changes during the budget cycle rather than draw funds from fund balance.
The committee adopted an amendment that fixes the compensation rate for the duration of the term and prevents automatic escalations; that amendment passed before the final committee vote. County staff clarified procedural constraints cited during debate: under state law cited in the meeting, changes enacted by a sitting commission cannot take effect for that same term and instead apply to the next term (as discussed in the record as "TCA").
The committee's action on Thursday forwards the amended resolution to the full commission, which will vote on it in regular session. If the full commission approves the change, implementing details and the effective date will depend on state law and the final ordinance language the commission adopts.
