During budget hearings this morning, Commissioner Fred Skillern asked if attorney Rheubin Taylor will give the commission an opinion about whether offices can hire more people and give raises after the budget is approved.
The Clerk and Master's office hired a deputy in August 2010; the Soil Conservation office also had a non-budgeted raise.
This prompted Skillern to ask for the opinion.
"If it's not in the budget, do they need to get us to approve it?," Skillern asked. "If not, there's no need for us to approve a budget."
Commissioner Mackey warned of the long-term consequences of subtle increases.
"I'm trying to make sure I don't hear creep coming into this budget," Mackey said. "It's very subtle, but it's still adding dollars and positions."
Dan Whisenhunt covers Hamilton County government for the Times Free Press. A native of Mobile, Ala., Dan earned a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Alabama. He won first place for best in-depth news coverage in the 2010 Alabama Press Association contest; the FOI-First Amendment Award in the 2007 Alabama Press Association contest; first place for best public service story in the Alabama AP Managing Editors contest in 2009 for economic coverage; and ...
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