About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2023)
4A I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com Wednesday, February 15,2023 County workers to get perks at work anniversaries DCN file photo By Julia Hansen jhansen@dawsonnews.com Local government employees will now see more kinds of compensa tion sooner after Dawson County’s Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a trio of measures on Feb. 2. Now, employees will see their job evaluations and chances for merit and paid- time-off increases coincide with their work anniversa ries. During the board’s work session, Chief Financial Officer and Interim County Manager Vickie Neikirk reiterated that payouts of employee increases had been approved contingent on 2022 job evaluations. Those merit increases were dispersed on Jan. 7, 2023, Neikirk said. Neikirk asked the board how they would like to time merit or longevity increases, employee evalu ations and any PTO awards in 2023, since in 2024, those items would be moved to workers’ anniver sary dates with the county. Human Resources Director Kristi Finley explained that Dawson County’s handbook only requires either PTO or merit increases for employ ees, not necessarily both, which Neikirk said was also her understanding when the board voted on the merit measure. District 2 Commissioner Chris Gaines and BOC Chairman Billy Thurmond voiced their support of hav- ing employees’ PTO awards fall on their anni versary dates this year and having both evaluations and any PTO or merit awards coincide with their hire dates in 2024. The board also discussed whether employees who hadn’t gotten the January 2023 increases would be eligible for evaluations and merit bumps when they hit their 12-month anniversa ries. Finley pointed out that about 74 employees would mark their one-year anni versaries with the county during 2023. Thurmond said employ ees who reach their year hire anniversaries in 2023 should go ahead and get their evaluations, PTO and merit opportunities since they didn’t get the January pay raise. “I think we should start that for the people in the 12-month category,” Thurmond said. “That tells you how young we are if we’ve got 74 people that are going to fall into that category this year.” District 4 Commissioner Emory Dooley explained he did not consider at least a 1 % raise and PTO equivalent. “I don’t know why any body would pick the two hours of PTO,” Dooley said. “I’m fine with it being both [opportunities].” With the board members all eventually voicing that preference, Neikirk said PTO balances would need to be adjusted for everyone. On a related topic, Dooley pointed out that first responders don’t have the same type of jobs as other departments, and their difference in duties should be reflected on the evaluations. “I would like to see us get a type of evaluation for each department,” he said. “It gives us a better picture of the employee, so it’s specific to their job.” Thurmond added that they “don’t have to reinvent the wheel” with those types of evaluations, saying that ones could be found for those public safety jobs. Finley also shared that her department has access to good intercounty resources in that respect and already has evaluations for supervisory and non- supervisory roles. In other news, Dawson County is looking for its next county manager, according to a posting on the county’s job openings webpage. After the regular meet ings, the board went into executive session and returned to vote on an amendment to the employ ee handbook for the county manager position. Now, the job won’t be assigned to a grade, Finley said to DCN, and the BOC can set the position’s salary at their discretion. DCN will continue to follow the county’s search for a permanent county manager. FROM 1A Rotary said planning director Sharon Farrell. Farrell called the award ee choice a “no contest” decision. Tax Commissioner and Rotary Club of Dawson County President Nicole Stewart later added that when receiving award picks, H o n n was nom inated by two dif fer e n t county depart ments. H o n n has worked for Dawson County since 2011, when she came out of retirement to start serving with the planning department. “Margaret is a beloved member of the planning staff and has been the front-facing person of the office for many years,” Chief Financial Officer and Interim County Manager Vickie Neikirk said on Feb. 2, quoting one of Honn’s colleagues. “[She’s] always one to help and [has] an immense amount of knowledge. Margaret is truly invaluable.” Neikirk added the coun ty often gets compliments from customers about Honn’s “great customer service” and “helpful atti tude.” “She not only helps with issuing business licenses, but she really helps some of the new folks coming in and explains to them [what’s needed],..she’s just a wealth of informa tion,” Farrell added at the Rotary meeting. “Everybody loves working with Margaret.” Fire & EMS Dawson County Fire and Emergency Services rec ognized firefighter Keith Mangum as their top employee. Mangum started volunteering with DCFES a decade ago. “During that time, he achieved many accom plishments equal to a career firefighter,” said Operations and Training Division Chief Johnny Irwin. “He dedi cated his time, which goes beyond the call of measure.” “Gratefully, he decided to come to us as a career firefighter in 2022 and obtained an instructor cer tification to be able to pass on his knowledge to the future generations of the fire service,” Irwin added, “and we’re so proud of him.” DCS0 During the Rotary Club’s awards, Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson called employ ees like HR and budget manager Sandra Evans crucial to his agency’s mission. “Without our most valu able resource, our men and women...we would be failing,” Johnson said. “Oftentimes, when you think about the sheriff’s office, you think about the [patrol] cars you see on the road...but behind the scenes, there’s a lot going on as well.” Evans has served the agency for 12 years, with her duties encompassing much of the office’s day- to-day administrative mat ters. She has also been a key organizer for DCSO’s annual “Shop with a Cop” event, which helps local children purchase Christmas presents who couldn’t otherwise do so. “All of the business own ers in here [know] you always have an office mom, and that’s what Sandra is as well,” Johnson added. Dawsonville When talking about the City of Dawsonville Public Works employee Steven McNeal, District 3 city council man John Walden used phrases like “always on time,” “very reli able” and “and a great asset to the team.” McNeal was hired by the city in 2018 as a public works operator, and he now works as a foreman within the department. “One thing I can say about Steve is he goes above and beyond the responsibilities given to him by the city,” Walden said. Whether it’s lending a hand at the city’s Main Street Park or “Food Truck Friday” events, the city councilman said McNeal will go the extra mile to “help citizens first hand.” “If he doesn’t have the answer, he’ll go get it,” Walden added. Tax Commissioner For the elected officials category, Stewart announced one of her offic e ’ s own employees as the award recipient. Turner came to the Dawson County Tax Commissioner’s Office from Cherokee County, Honn Mangum Evans McNeal Turner We love our community, and we know you do, too. So this February, though days can be rough and the news can be grim, we’re asking you to share something you love about Dawson County. It could be a place, a special moment or certain characteristics of our community — whatever makes you smile when you think of Dawson County. Scan to Submit 300 words or less and we’ll publish a selection of the best on our Opinion page. Let’s put some good vibes back into our community! Scan here to SHOW SOME LOVE! 'WDawsonCountyNews DawsonNewscom Julia Hansen Dawson County News Planning and Development Director Sharon Farrell, left, watches as Rotary Club president Nicole Stewart, right, presents employee Margaret Honn with an award for being Dawson County's top employee of 2022. bringing a breadth of cialist. way to help any of her fel- transaction and other insti- “One of my favorite low teammates,” said tutional knowledge to things about Heather is Stewart, “so I’m very serve as a tax and tag spe- she always goes out of her thankful for you.” Dawson County News marketing@dawsonnews.com February 28 9am-noon Bowen Center for the Arts 334 Highway 9 North Dawsonville, GA 30534 COME OUT AND JOIN US FOR HEALTH DEMONSTRATIONS, AND INFORMATION FOR ALL AGES. Sponsored by Northeast Georgia Health System Interested in a Booth at our Healthy Dawson Event? Email: Marketi ng@dawsonnews.com today for more information and to reserve your space. All vendors are welcome. /kt%DAWSON
