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Supervisors to Hold Public Hearing on Augusta Co. Bonuses

Posted: 8:43 PM Aug 22, 2012
Reporter: Estephany Escobar

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors voted to hold a public hearing before they approve a bonus for county employees.

The county reported ending the budget year that ended June 30 with a surplus of $635,569.

If it passed, the county would give full-time employees a $1,000 bonus. Part-time employees with benefits would receive $500.

The cost of the bonus for the county would be $269,500.

This would be a one-time bonus.

Chairman of Augusta County Board Of Supervisors Tracy Pyles said the employees have not received a raise for three years.

He said if Gov. Bob McDonnell is also giving bonuses to state employees, county employees deserve the same.

He said they saved the money with the hard work of employees.

"[ We want] to encourage them to keep doing a good job for them but mainly just to show them that we respect what they do and we wanna do more than just words," Pyles said.

Board member David Karaffa said he wished they could invest the money in county schools. He said many positions have been cut in the school system and he wished they could restore them. However, he said since it is not recurring money, they can't use it to add more school positions.

" My hope is that we just don't take this money and put it under a pillow that we take this money and put it to good use inside of the county," he said.

The board of supervisors will vote on the measure September 12, 2012.