Gilmer County employees will get hazard bonuses for working through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commissioners met in a special called meeting Tuesday, Sept. 28, to vote on the bonuses and to discuss other uses of the first of two installments of $3.3 million from the The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
“We had a lot of county employees that got the COVID,” said Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris. He said the bonuses should be equal for all employees across the board.
Initially, Paris proposed $3,000 hazard bonus for full-time employees and $1,500 for part-time employees. Elected officials were left out of the original proposal.
Some discussion was held about public safety employees and deputies getting higher bonuses.
Sheriff Stacy Nicholson advocated for $4,000 bonuses for all full-time employees.
He agreed all county employees should be treated equally.
“I think it should be even across the board,” said Nicholson.
Following more discussion, elected officials, with the exception of the three commissioners, were included in the hazard bonuses.
Part-time employees and other employees employed for shorter periods of time would receive bonuses based on a formula.
Only employees who were employed with the county as of the meeting date are eligible. Anyone who has been with the county for less than 90 days must complete their 90 days before receiving the bonus.
“It didn’t seem right not to include everybody,” said Paris. “The number of people that got COVID while they were on the job, within public safety, but within everywhere else, we had a lot of it.”
Hazard bonuses will total an estimated $800,000.
Commissioners voted to get an ambulance at an estimated cost of $230,000.
All remaining funds from the first installment will be used to reimburse the county for money spent on public safety salaries, up to $1.4 million, which mostly dealt with COVID cases on the front line in Gilmer County.
This move also frees up the funds to be used for other things in the county.
A second installment of funding will come from The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 next year. Commissioners plan to look on upgrading HVAC in all county buildings, possibly with UV scrubbers.