LOUDON — The Loudon County Commission in a special
called meeting Monday declined to settle a dispute with
General Sessions and Criminal Court Clerk Lisa Niles
over her request for additional staffing and raises for
her office.
The lack of action at the meeting, which was called
specifically to discuss a settlement, came despite a
recommendation of a settlement by attorney Joe Ford, who
is representing the county in a lawsuit filed by Niles
last year.
Niles, who was not at the meeting, has been asking for
six new employees and four new part-time employees for
her office at an estimated cost of $186,000, and raises
for all 14 of her employees ranging from $612 to $10,200
at a total cost of $66,000. She subsequently filed suit
against the county.
Ford recommended offering Niles four new employees and
raises for the current employees. The cost to the county
on the 2015-2016 budget would be about $88,000. If the
case goes to court the county could be on the hook for
the full request and court costs more than $100,000. “I
think it’s a fair settlement compared to what the court
will do,” he said.
Richard Truitt, a Loudon County resident, addressed the
commission at the beginning of the meeting. “We don’t
need elected officials suing the county when they don’t
get their way,” he said.
Loudon County activist Pat Hunter told the commission
she is concerned that, before the August election, Niles
said she needed three new employees, but changed her
request to six after she was elected.
Commissioner Van Shaver said he would not support the
settlement. “I think it’s wrong for an elected official
to do this to the county,” he said. Greenback
commissioner Bill Satterfield said he was concerned
about the effect granting Niles’ request might have on
other county offices whose employees may not be
receiving raises. “I don’t see anything good coming out
of this,’ he said.
Commissioner Harold Duff said he was also concerned. “I
have a problem with treating some county employees
differently,” he said.
Chairman Steve Harrelson called for a motion to vote on
the proposal but no commissioners offered a motion.
Commissioner Dave Mears said he would like Ford to go
back to Niles to see if she would consider another
offer.
Shaver said he’s concerned about where the money will
come from to fund Niles’ request should the case be
litigated and a judge orders the county to add the new
clerks. “It’s going to take a property tax increase,” he
said.
The commission is also facing a request from Judge Rex
Dale to add another judge to his office. Niles said the
increased caseload might require as many as two
additional clerks for her office.
Although increased cost of adding a second judge will be
supported by an increase in the litigation tax, Shaver
said there is no way of knowing if the tax will generate
enough revenue to pay for the second judge. There is
certainly no money in the county budget to fund the
increase without a tax increase, he said.
Attempts to reach Niles were not successful. A public
records request by the News Sentinel asking for records
of the increased caseload in Dale’s and Niles’ offices
was unsuccessful, because, according to Niles, the
county does not keep such records.