W. TERRY SMITH
Recession? Layoffs? Furloughs? Unemployment?
Conetoe’s Town Commissioners voted themselves a 10 percent raise last week, but none of the elected representatives in Edgecombe’s County's smallest town want to talk about it.
The raise was part of a $124,814 budget the board adopted unanimously.
The commissioners are now paid $428 per quarter. The mayor is paid $635 per quarter, 1.5 times the commissioners’ stipend.
This increase is on top of a 10 percent pay hike year ago.
Two of the four commissioners — Johnny Respass and Leon Wynn – directed all questions to the town clerk, Susan Brown.
Another commissioner – Wilson Jones – did not return phone messages. And Mayor Linda Ingram promised to call back – at least twice.
Commissioner Milton Goff's wife Brenda, the town's postmistress, said the commissioners do a lot of work – "maintenance" – that people may be unaware of and never get any extra pay.
“We do a lot of work on our own, driving our own vehicles,” Wynn said.
“For many years in a row we didn’t have any increase at all,” said Respass, who said he had been on the board since 1994.
“We want you to check with the town clerk,” Respass said. “She has all the facts.”
The clerk, Brown, keeps office hours from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. She is the town’s zoning administrator, too. She also received a 10 percent raise as did the town grass cutter, Jimmy Goff, and Commissioner Jones, who is the town's yard waste collector.
Jimmy Goff is Commissioner Goff's brother. The Goff men are Town Clerk Brown's uncles.
"But anytime there is something to be voted on concerning (Goff or her), Milton abstains," Brown said.
Yet, Goff joined the other commissioners in voting to approve the budget, which includes the 10 percent raises. He seconded the motion.
"I'm disappointed," said Delane Weathersby, a Conetoe resident who attended last week's meeting.
"We went and shared our concerns, but they went ahead," she said. "I don't feel they were representing the citizens. It's not in anyone's best interests. I don't know how they can live with themselves. It's just wrong."
Former Mayor Jean Harris agrees. She was mayor from 1997-2005.
"It's excessive," Harris said. "They're generous with taxpayers' money for themselves."
Linda Meeks, another resident, said, "It's not the right thing to do."
Up the road at Don's Greenhouse, Ann Mooring said, "I think the members of the board and the mayor must feel that they are better than the citizens of Conetoe because many of the citizens have been laid off from their jobs, some salaries have already been cut or have only received a 1 or 2 percent raise. They must feel that they must get a 10 percent raise because they are the commissioners."
Between fiscal year 1996-97 and 1994-95 the board did receive a raise – and in 1993-04 voted itself a $5 decrease when it received $150 per quarter.
"Very few ever put in for travel expenses," said Brown, who has been clerk since December 1999.
However, the mayor and commissioners do treat themselves and wives to dinner at least once a year. Last year the dinner group included Jimmy Goff and his wife and Brown and her husband. They ate at Mr. Ribs in Rocky Mount and the town picked up the $305 tab.
