EMA Director Up For Hefty Raise
| At Monday's County Commission meeting, Loudon
County EMA (Emergency Management Director), Gordon Harless, will be up
for a hefty raise. The budget committee will be recommending a
$10,000.00 plus raise for Harless to the full commission. If the raise
passes commission this time, it will bring his salary to $50,000.00 and
will be retroactive to July first of this year. This will not be the
first time the recommended raise has been before the commission. Just
last month the same recommendation came before the commission but failed
to receive the majority vote required for passage. County Mayor and
budget committee chairman, Doyle Arp, may be hoping for a better outcome
with the new commission. Harless was hired by former County Mayor, George Miller. in April of 2004. He replaced long time EMA director, the Late John Parris, after his retirement. In addition to his EMA responsibilities, Harless is also the Animal Shelter manager. His beginning salary in 2004 was $37,000.00. Another agenda item sure to generate excitement, is the appointment of someone to fill the second district commission seat vacated when commissioner Chuck Jenkins was appointed as Assessor. A number of characters have been lobbying for the free seat. The appointment will be for just less than two years. The next election to fill the seat will be the general election in August 2008. I suspect Commissioner Jenkins will have a good recommendation for the commission to consider. |
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