Parrish vetoes council action: Budget for city administrator’s position cut

Funding for the Baldwin city administrator’s position was cut Monday night following veto action by Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Parrish.

Following an approximately one-hour-and-45-minute closed session to discuss personnel and potential litigation, Parrish issued two letters of veto for action that was taken earlier in the council meeting on Monday.

Parrish was acting in the mayor’s position due to the absence of Mayor Jerry Neace, who was out of town attending the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) conference.

Parrish vetoed action to fund the city administrator position, as well as vetoeing action taken by the council to reappoint Karen Degges to the position.

“It is obvious that city administrator (position) is not working,” Parrish said.

Parrish issued a letter of veto for appropriations in fiscal year 2013-2013 earmarked for the position of city administrator payroll and benefits.

The council had earlier approved the FY 2012-13 budgets for the general fund and enterprise fund. The general fund budget totaling $1.5 million and the enterprise fund budget totaling $3.1 million were unanimously approved. Finance director Audra Payne advised the council that the two percent raise for city employees had been removed from the budgets, per instructions from the mayor. Revenue was adjusted up due to the prison issue and a capital component was added. Parrish did not vote on the budgets since he was acting as mayor.

The reason Parrish gave for the veto was: “for the harmony of efficient and effective operations of the City of Baldwin it is best to return all daily supervision of the city to the responsibility of the mayor.”

Earlier in Monday’s meeting the council approved the following department head re-appointments: Degges, city administrator; Mirinda Dispain, city clerk; Payne, finance/human resources director; Joe Roy, fire chief; Parrish, mayor pro tem; Virginia Williams, municipal court interpreter; Daren Osborn, police chief; Chad Conard, public works director/waste water treatment plant superintendent; and David Chester, water plant manager.

Parrish’s reason for the veto to not reappoint Degges was: “the previous elimination of appropriations for the position of city administrator in the fiscal budget 2012-2013 eliminates the need to appoint a person to the position of city administrator.”