Senior director’s raise approved
During the Anderson County Commission meeting on Monday, Aug. 21, Commission voted to approve adjusting the salary of Cherie Phillips, the County’s Senior Center Office on Aging Director.
The move was to have Phillips’ salary adjusted to the level of compensation similar to that of department heads in the county’s other departments, which would bring her compensation up to about $45,000 annually.
County officials discussed — at length — how the money for her compensation adjustment will be coming from a special reserve fund designated specifically for public donations received for operating the Senior Center.
Disagreement centered around whether or not there would be enough donation money from year to year to cover the adjustment.
If the money for donations was not available next year, what then, some commissioners asked?
Supporters of the compensation adjustment pointed out that if the budget next year for donations falls short, then Phillips would have to make cuts to her budget.
The vote to approve Phillips’ salary adjustment was 11-4, with Commissioner Bob Smallridge, Dist. 8, voting to abstain because he was sworn into his position just moments before the discussion on Phillips’ salary adjustment began.
Voting for the adjustment were Commissioners McKamey, Yager, Mead, Wandell, Fritts, Meredith, Emert, Alderson, Warfield, Isbel, and Vowell. Commissioners who voted against the adjustment were Hitchcock, Creasey, White and Scott.
