Commissioners add Martin Luther King Day to list of paid holidays

By COBY LaRUE
Staff

The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners agreed to add Martin Luther King's Birthday as an official paid county holiday at a meeting last Thursday morning by a 4-1 vote.

Commissioner Eldon Edwards cast the lone dissenting vote. Edwards said he was against the measure because the county does not need more paid holidays. "I just don't see the necessity of having another paid holiday," said Edwards.

Prior to the vote, Commissioner Charity Gambill, who later made the motion for creating the new holiday, said, "I'm glad we're looking at this. I've been approached by not only the black community, but by others in regards to what we're going to do." Gambill added that she was not in favor of the holiday solely because she is African-American, noting, "I feel that it is the right thing to do. I may stand alone on this, but that is how I feel."

Edwards pointed out that each holiday costs the county about $8,712 in lost productivity. The county already has ‘10 or 11' he said, meaning the cost of lost productivity tops $100,000 annually including the MLK holiday. Edwards suggested a holiday recognizing King without pay or a floating holiday that employees could take in lieu of another paid holiday. Other commissioners, including Gambill, said the holiday isn't going to cost the county more money. "If they're (county employees) working, they're getting paid," she said, noting that the county would have to pay workers whether or not the holiday was observed.

Commissioner Patrick Woodie said that 82 of North Carolina's counties had more paid holidays than Alleghany and only 10 had less. He said the extra holiday is a "good investment in our employees who work hard and deserve it."

Chair Ken Richardson called the holiday a "touchy, feely" subject. "It is a subject that we as leaders of Alleghany County must take a position on. I feel like it is important for us to recognize the significance of what has happened over a period of time."

In other business, the commission:

agreed to up mileage pay for county employees from 28 cents to 32 cents per mile. The move was made on a motion by Woodie and a second by Commissioner Warren Taylor;

agreed to make no changes in the solid waste disposal fees or in business classifications; and

agreed by consensus to give county employees a one-step raise and to allocate an additional $33,707 to the school system for increasing insurance costs.

A public hearing on the budget was held at 4 p.m. Wednesday. A report of that meeting will printed next week.

Get the rest of this article in this week's issue of the Alleghany News!

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