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| Abingdon City Clerk and Collector Positions to Become Separate |
Two city positions in Abingdon that have in the past been held by the same person might have two different people in them next year.
The Abingdon City Council Monday night decided to separate the clerk and collector posts beginning in May, jobs that are currently held by clerk/collector Sheila Day. The city council voted 4-3 in favor of the separation: the three "no" votes were cast by Dale Schisler, Ronnie Steele and Rich Slagle.
The clerk is elected by the voters, and pay for the position is set by statute---it can't go up or down during the term. The collector will be appointed every year, just like the city attorney is, and the city council can determine the pay and benefits for the position.
Slagle tells WGIL he's against separating the positions of clerk and collector for one simple reason.
"With the size of our community, I just feel that the separation of the positition is uncalled for. I don't feel that it's a necessity for our town."
Meanwhile, Alderman Mike Boggs, who voted for separating the positions, says he's always considered the clerk and collector jobs as separate, and says the city clerk could still serve as the collector under the new ordinance.
The city council earlier this year voted to adjust Day's salary as city collector to cover the cost of her health insurance premium since her pay as clerk cannot be changed. The previous Abingdon attorney, David McDonald, argued at the time that the city had been breaking the law by paying for Day's insurance as the city clerk, a practice that had gone on for decades.
Some residents in Abingdon feel the city council has an agenda against Day and are trying to run her out of office, which Boggs denies. Day had no comment after the meeting.
In other business, the city council plans to hold a special meeting on Monday (10/27/8) at 6 pm to discuss and possibly adjust the wages paid to Abingdon's elected officials. |
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| 10 21 08 by Newsroom |
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