Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson has called a special meeting of the Quorum Court for Saturday at 5 p.m. in an effort to end the budget impasse and get county employees paid for the first time this year.
Deltaplex News has learned that Robinson has been negotiating with several members of the Quorum Court who have previously opposed to Robinson’s budget proposals. Among the proposals offered are moving County Assessor Gloria Tillman’s daughter, who has been working in her mother’s office in violation of the county’s nepotism ordinance to the tax collector’s office.
In addition, Robinson will stipulate that the justices of the peace will not have to pay his legal bills but will be responsible for paying their own.
Pay raises granted to chief deputies will be cut in half and calls for a legislative clerk’s position in the county clerk’s office will be rejected. Many believe that position was to be filled by former Justice of the Peace Lloyd Franklin Jr.
The meeting comes just two days before Governor Sarah Sanders was expected to sign legislation stipulating that if a city or county did not adopt a budget, the city or county would revert to the previous year’s budget which would remain in effect until a new budget was approved.
