County eyes policy on community boards
Commissioners informally agree not to accept stipends for service to outside agencies.
Floyd County commissioners informally agreed Monday to adopt a policy of not accepting compensation to serve on community boards.
“We shouldn’t accept dividends or stipends if we’re serving as commissioners, because we’re representing the county,” Commissioner Wright Bagby said.
The County Commission has positions to fill on a variety of outside boards, ranging from the Highland Rivers Community Service Board to the Rome-Floyd Commission on Children & Youth and the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission Council.
Most of the boards don’t pay members. But a few state panels — such as the Division of Family and Children Services Board — offer token compensation, and members of the Floyd Healthcare Management Board get $150 per meeting they attend.
Commission Chair Rhonda Wallace
expressed some concern that the policy could deter future County Commission candidates, because of the uncompensated extra responsibilities. Commissioners are paid $7,200 a year.
“It doesn’t bother me, but we already struggle to get people to serve on boards,” Wallace said. “It’s a big commitment of time.”
However, the majority said it should be considered part of the job.
“Most people do this as community service,” Commissioner Allison Watters said.
County Attorney Wade Hoyt III was directed to draw up a policy that calls for commissioners to refuse the pay but to be reimbursed by the county for expenses such as attendance at out-of-town retreats.
There is probably no legal way to enforce the policy, Hoyt said with a smile, “but the voters could enforce it.”