Superior Court Clerk asks for $15,000 part‑time hire, clashes with commission over funding limits

Superior Court Clerk Tami Wade told the commission on April 14 that her office needs an extra part‑time staffer — estimated at $15,000 a year — to keep the clerk's office open and handle court days and required trainings.

"I just need the additional staff for court days," Wade said, explaining that by law her office must be open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and she cannot borrow staff from other offices because of background‑check requirements. She said historically the office has had three people and that she will need coverage for upcoming trainings.

Chairman Charles Coffey and commissioners pushed back, noting county revenues are constrained and that raising taxes or cutting elsewhere might be required to fund new hires. Coffey said the commission cannot grant one official's request without considering the county's overall fiscal position: "one official's needs are not more important than the next on the budget," he said. Coffey suggested the county might consider wage sacrifices across offices only as a last resort and said the board must balance competing demands.

Wade said she had already waited two years for additional staffing and indicated she might pursue other steps if funding is not provided; commissioners said they would take her request under consideration but emphasized that the county is reviewing all departmental requests in light of the broader deficit. County Manager Thomas Weaver and commissioners agreed that final staffing decisions will depend on the outcome of budget cuts and any revenue changes, including potential SPLOST allocations and state policy HB581 outcomes.

The commission did not vote on Wade's request at the April hearings; it remains under consideration as staff prepare a revised budget and options for the board to review.