Budget impasse prompts job-security fears in town workers

By STEPHANIE PORTER-NICHOLS/Staff

From the town manager to lifeguards clad in their shorts and tank tops, the Saltville Town Council chambers were crowded Tuesday night with town employees fearful of losing their jobs. Their anxiety was legitimate, not because the town couldn’t afford to pay their wages, but because the council couldn’t agree on a budget that state law required to be in place by July 1.
With an overall proposed budget of just under $2 million, the final sticking point that repeatedly deadlocked council votes at 3-3 with Mayor Jeff Campbell statutorily unable to vote on the matter was about $8,000 for a custodian’s salary.
Three council members wanted the position, which had been eliminated from the 2009-2010 budget, added back in. The other three didn’t. 
Councilman Tom Holley simply said, “It’s the money.”
Stanley “Rusty” Cahill noted that an inmate crew is available to do janitorial work.
Implicating that the position’s elimination was personal rather than financial and noting that cost savings had been found freeing up some money, Councilman Neil Johnson said, “If it’s not the money, it’s got to be something else.”
Mayor Campbell tried to be a voice of reason. He noted that monetary matters could still be addressed after the budget was adopted. He referred to the budget as a planning document saying, it’s “not set in stone.”
The mayor also reminded the council that one of its key considerations in developing the proposal was not to raise taxes in the current economic climate. “It was the feeling of the council that the citizenry couldn’t bear more.”
Later, Campbell cautioned that each year unanticipated expenses come along that often require the town to dip into reserves. “You’ve got to exercise financial restraint.”
Yet, while he asked for compromises and proposals, the mayor was also angry.
He told the council that the first person he encountered when he arrived at the town hall was a television reporter from Johnson City, Tenn.
Tuesday’s meeting came on the heels of a special called session Monday night to address the budget.
Town employees’ fear for their jobs came from a motion made during that meeting, which was ultimately tabled. In light of the budget dispute, that motion called for the temporary suspension of the town manager and all non-essential employees and discontinuing use of a part-time inmate supervisor.
Campbell said he called for the suspension of recording the motion until a legal opinion could be obtained about the potential conflict of interest of Johnson casting a vote on it since his son serves as town manager.
Word of that motion and the possibility it could be brought back up and voted on spread throughout the town and well beyond by Tuesday evening’s meeting.
According to the mayor, some of the information was inaccurate.
It is “grossly irresponsible for misinformation to be carried through town…. It’s not conduct befitting anyone representing the town.”
Campbell told the council of his encounter with the television reporter and declared that the outside media was there “to make a mockery of us.”
“It makes me angry when they show up to paint us in a bad light. We have responsibility to prevent that,” the mayor said.
After an hour had passed, Campbell noted that the day was his 19th wedding anniversary, and his wife was sitting among the observers. He gave the council another 15 minutes to discuss alternatives or make a motion.
Councilman Dickie Dye made a motion that the council adopt the proposed budget, eliminating the custodial position in favor of directing the money to other major town projects. Cahill seconded his action.
Councilman Johnson said if he voted for it, everyone would believe he was trying to protect the town manager’s job. Yet, he said, he didn’t want to go through the appropriations process if the town didn’t have a budget in place to maintain operations. Looking to the crowd in attendance, he said, “I ask your all’s forgiveness as I do it.”
With Johnson voting in favor of it, the council approved the motion 4 to 2. Shaking his head in apparent anger, Councilman Todd Young walked out of the building through a side door.
The mayor commented that the ability to compromise is part of what makes people human.
Later talking to citizens in the audience, Johnson continued to ask for their forgiveness for supporting the vote.

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