Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 6, MAY 31, 2010, THE ISLANDER
City personnel
Continued from Page 1
be reduced by two more to 65 sworn
officers.
In addition, three of the five depart-
men captains will receive a reduction in
rank and pay.
Two of the captains, the second high
est rank in the department, will be
offered positions as lieutenants, while
a third, who has been with the depart
ment about 33 years and has a college
degree, will be offered a position as a
corporal.
Roberts explained that some divi
sions were being combined to reduce
the need for captains.
Roberts said, "We were instructed
to make the police department less top
heavy, so we're going from five captains
to two. The professional standards unit,
which was headed by a captain, will
now come under the special services
division’s captain and by supervised
by a lieutenant. The other captain will
be over field services. The department
will have six lieutenants and nine ser
geants. Eight of the sergeants positions
are currently filled.”
Effective on July 9, the police cap
tains who take the reduction in rank
and pay will be paid at the top of the
pay scale for their new, lower rank.
The police department’s planning
and research coordinator has accepted
a job at the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center and that job will not
be filled.
Also the police department’s admin
istrative assistant’s position has been
eliminated with that employee being
offered a records clerk position at less
pay-
Asked to comment on the changes
in the police department, Mayor Brian
Thompson said, “Police Chief (Edna)
Johnson knows the department better
than anyone, it was her decision and
the commission has full trust in her
judgement. We stayed out of the pro
cess. We only told her to do what she
thought was best to get the best balance
and organization in the department.”
Other city departments that will see
employee cutbacks are:
• Director’s position will be cut from
Economic Development;
• one position will be cut from
Human Resources;
• one position will be cut from the
Finance department;
• one position will be cut from Infor
mation Technology;
• three positions will be cut from
Public Works;
• three positions will be cut from
Parks and Recreation;
• two positions, an inspector and a
permit technician, will be cut from the
Building Inspection department.
In other department restructuring,
the Parks Maintenance Division, which
has 13 employees, will be combined
with the Cemetery Maintenance Divi
sion, which has seven.
The total number of employees in the
combined department will be reduced
from 20 to 14. The 13 parks mainte
nance employees will be able to apply
for the seven available jobs, while the
cemetery workers will not be impacted.
Roberts said that the personnel bud
get cuts would affect the city legal
department, but as of Wednesday, May
26 she did not know how or to what
extent.
With a budget of over $300,000 for
last year, including $162,000 per year
for the city attorney alone, the three-
person legal department has one of the
city’s highest per employee cost ratios.
As a comparison, Glynn County,
which has about four or five times the
population of the city, pays their attor
ney about $90,000 per year.
About six months ago, the Board of
REAL ESTATE
and YOU
By Susan Hardwick ^realtyinc.O'
• St. Simons Island
ABR, CRS, E-PRO, GRI
Service • Commitment • Results
TIME FOR TAPS
Each year at this time when we celebrate Memorial Day, we know its the
annual observance of Taps at Twilight, sponsored by the St. Simons Island
Rotary Club. This year’s event, Monday May 31 at 7 p.m., is open to the public
and will be held at the Neptune Park bandstand on St. Simons.
Sam Nunn, a former U.S. Senator from Georgia (1972-1997), will be guest
speaker. Guest of honor will be Col. Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. USMC, Ret.,
Medal of Honor recipient. St. Simons Rotarians have sponsored this event for
the past 19 years.
Opening music will be presented by the Golden Isles Community Concert
Band. Rotary club president, Brooke Pridmore, will welcome guests; the
posting of the colors and the National Anthem will be sung. The always-
inspiring Armed Forces medley will follow - all service members and their
families will stand to be recognized.
Following Sam Nunn’s address, Rhonda Hambright will sing God Bless
America. The retirement of the colors by the U.S. Marine Corps Security
Force and the USMC, JROTC, Glynn Academy will be next. Concluding the
program, Taps will be presented by trumpeters, William A. Hammett and
Rich Wanger and Tim Akins, bagpiper. Pat Storino is event chairman; Gerald
Schueneman, co-chairman; Calvin Paynter, is chairman emeritus.
For the best in professional service contact Susan Hardwick, 638-6660 office,-
or 1-877-638-6660, Ext. 625. 638-8782 home, 912-222-0392 mobile;
e-mail: susanhardwick@bellsouth.net,web: www.seapalmsrealty.com
Education stopped paying their con
tract attorney on an hourly basis and
switched to a monthly retainer of $6,000
per month, $72,000 per year.
The state attorney general makes
just over $137,000 per year.
And Governor Perdue makes just
over $139,000.
Roberts said that with only two
employees, the personnel cuts would
not affect the City Clerk’s office.
Roberts did not know if there would
be an impact on the Municipal Court.
As far as Community Development,
Roberts said there has been no conver
sation about their budget.
But, according to Assistant Manager
William Weeks, who oversees Commu
nity Development, that department is
not funded by the General Fund. They
are a separately funded department.
Asked about the impact on the
employees pension, Roberts said it
could be affected. Pension is calculated
on the five highest salary years of the
last ten years.
Roberts said she expected all affect
ed employees to be notified by Friday,
May 28.
Roberts also said that due to the
economy all city promotions were fro
zen about six months ago.
The city enacted a two-day per month
furlough program back in September for
all departments except the fire depart
ment. The furlough does apply to fire
department administrative personnel,
which includes the fire chief and two
other employees.
Incentive pay was eliminated from
the city budget last year.
Roberts also said the city govern
ment efficiency study currently under
way by the University of Georgia’s Carl
Vinson Institute of Government may
McIntosh Shouters receive
$3,000 grant
The McIntosh County Shouters
received a $3,000 grant from Plum
Creek to support the costs associated
with its Education-in-Schools program
for Georgia schools.
The Shouters promote and encourage
cross cultural understanding through
the teachings of Gullah Geechee history
and the ring shout, a tradition handed
down from generation to generation.
The practice was started by slaves
in Georgia. When they would come
home after a hard day’s work in the
plantation, they would get together and
perform the ring shout—grateful they
made it through another day. They also
utilized the ring shout as a means of
communication while working in the
fields.
The Shouters are the last authentic
practitioners of this art form. The group
is dedicated to educating and enter
taining adults and children about this
piece of African American and Georgia
history.
On May 11, the McIntosh Comity
Shouters received the 2010 Governor’s
Award in the Humanities. They will
participate in Georgia Historical Soci
ety’s “Gullah Geechee History and Cul
ture in the Georgia Low Country” sum
mer workshop, as well as in several
area elementary and middle schools
during the next school year.
For information visit mcintoshcoun-
tyshouters.com. □
impact the city’s personnel.
Roberts said depending on the
results of the study it could lead either
to more layoffs or positions being added
back. □
Islander
Advertise here! Call 265-9654 for details!
Visit us online at www.theislanderonline.com
Transfer Seller
Buyer
Location/Legal
Tax
Description/Address
St Simons
$ 89.00
DKK Development Co
Kiger, Leslie & Mark
Lot 32, Ph 2, Stillwater
$ 99.00
Lydian Private Bank;
Anderson, Shannon H
Unit 336 Bldg 3, Barnes
Virtual Bank
Plantation Condos, **1704
Frederica Rd #3336-3
$ 110.00
Sapelo Southern Bank
Palsgrove, John
Unit 106, St Simons Inn By
The Lighthouse Condos,
**609 Beachview Dr
$ 200.00
Chaney, James R Jr
Seban, Laura Marie
Ptn of Lots 8-10, Blk F, St
Simons Heights, **229
Florida St
$ 200.00
Howard, Jane T;
Noe, Michael E & Stacy C
Lots 4 & Ptn of 5, Blk 9,
Thomas, Selma King
Ocean Breezes, **1129
Estate
College St
$ 275.00
Hannon, Alexander;
Anderson, Ida E
Lot 63, Kings Terrace, **303
Hannon, Tricia Sigman;
Sigman, Mary Tricia
Ashantilly Ave
$ 300.00
Barak, Leonard A Jr
Gillette, Misty
Lot 57, Ph 2, Village Creek
Way, **231 Villager Dr
$ 600.00
Norton, Carol K
Cooper, Gail K
Unit 301, Sea View Condos
$ 900.00
United Community
Wellington Properties LLC
Lot 19, Ph 5, St Simons
Bank
Island Club, **118 Biltmore
9 Warranty Deeds for Sea Island & St. Simons for week ending 5/14/2010