As Anderson County Council meets for the final time to discuss the 2014-2015 budget, let's hope the things which matter most don't get lost in the spreadsheets and politics.
First things first. Anderson County continues to show strong signs of pulling out of the national economic downturn which began in 2008 and resulted in a reduction in budgets and employees, even the complete dissolution of entire departments. Offices were asked to adopt austere budgets and do more with fewer people and reduced resources. Few departments were not uneffected by these often drastic cuts, and county employees rose to the occassion and worked longer hours while absorbing extra duties. Meanwhile, increases in salaries were frozen. Solid. Anderson County employees have not received an actual raise in salaries in almost seven years.
This impacts the county in a number of significant ways, many of them including a long-term effect on the bottom line. Good employees have left and and are continuing to leave Anderson County for better paying jobs. Sadly, many are leaving for smaller neighboring counties which pay higher salaries.
Studies on the cost of employee turnover are all over the board. Some studies predict that replacing a salaried employee, costs 6-9 months' salary on average. Replacing a hourly-wage employee costs between 20-30 percent of that person's annual salary. Such studies point out the critical need for county council to weigh these costs when considering not only providing all county employees raises, but when looking at the bottome line.
In some areas, such as law enforcement and emergency services, the cost and time of training and retaining good employees is even more important. As Anderson County Councilwoman Gracie Floyd rightly suggested in a recent council meeting: "No one who carries a gun for Anderson County should be eligible for food stamps." Too many already are.
Raises are not the only considerations which should be on the table. While it is too late for this budget cycle, the time has come for a comprehensive salary study/comparison of all positions in the county to see how we stack up with our neighbors across the Upstate and statewide. One such study was begun a couple years back, but died on the vine with no report. It's time to return the county's attention to make sure we are paying fair wages to all of our employees.
Next, it's time to revisit the Office of Economic Development and provide whatever funding needed to add staff, equipment, travel and training to continue the amazing production which has come from such a small group. Under the leadership of Burriss Neslon, working closely with Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns, there is no questioning the wild success of the department over the past few years. This year's proposed budget only bumps funding for the department by a little over $100,000. That's simply not enough. A vision casting of where this department can go with proper funding should be part of the final discussions on this year's budget.
Finally, council needs to reconsider requests by law enforecement to help meet the needs of officers on the road attempting to deal wiht a growing population and a fast-rising violent crime rate in Anderson County. As mentioned earlier, other counties have more deputies per capita, but even the small counties surrounding Anderson are paying higher wages. This should not be acceptable in a progressive county. Emergency Services faces similar challenges often losing experienced employees to other counties and the private sector due to low pay. Anyone who has watched the exceptional response in recent weeks by this department, such as the acid leak on I-85 and at the same time a pipeline gas leak elsewhere in the county, can thank Taylor Jones and his staff for being prepared in advance, despite a shrinking buget which has still not replaced all the employees lost in 2008.
Where will the money come from?
That is up to county council. Maybe we could start with the $500,000 divided equally among council members for their "recreation funds." That would make a dent in raises. It would take $786,000 for a two-percent across-the-board increase and $1,180.000 for a three-percent raise. Or give half to economic development to hire an additional recruiter or maybe to the Sheriff's Office so they can add five deputies to patrol the roads with the money.
A lot of effort and study has gone into the current proposed budget, but if last year's final vote is any indication, a lot of changes are still possible at the twelfth hour.
Let's hope council reconsiders some core priorites and shifts the budget accordingly.