Lee County Chamber commends workers

LEESBURG — Fresh off the harrowing experience of putting on a made-for-TV celebration of hometown “American Idol” finalist Phillip Phillips, Lee County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development chief Winston Oxford used his budget hearing before the Lee County Commission’s Budget Committee Wednesday to sing the praises of county workers.

“Every employee on the payroll in Lee County — and I’m not just talking about the ones who helped us put Saturday’s event together — but everyone who works for this county is why Lee County has a bright future,” Oxford said. “I’m here to tell you, those employees are the reason life works well here … period.”

Oxford used the county’s slogan to praise the efforts of employees from every department, many of whom helped him and his staff put together a proposal for a significant five-unit shopping complex that recently fell through at the 11th hour.

“On a project like that, things move fast,” Oxford said. “(Project planners) were preparing to fly out of Atlanta to Houston to make the proposal, and I was able to get information they asked for on a Friday night. You just don’t find that kind of dedication at many places.

“From (County Clerk) Christi (Dockery) to (Chief Marshal/Code Enforcement Officer) Jim Wright to (Planning and Engineering Director) Bob Alexander to (Tax Assessor) Joe Wright to the fire chief (James Howell) … I could just go on and on about the people who pitched in to try and make this happen. And while we got the news that we wouldn’t get the project at this time, I believe we’ll hear from this entity again.”

Oxford noted that his budget had remained stagnant, “especially over the last five years,” but he said economic development work in the county would not be slowed by the $5,216 trimmed from his requested $471,643.

“In this community, it doesn’t stop with the people who get paid to do these jobs,” he said. “In Lee County, everyone is an economic developer.”

Budget meetings with Oxford, Alexander, Parks and Recreation Director Jeremy Morey and Southwest District District Attorney Plez Hardin carried little in the way of drama that had developed in the first three days of hearings.

Told that his request for a 10 percent budget increase had been cut in half, Hardin said, “Five percent is better than zero percent; anything we get is certainly appreciated.”

Hardin said he planned to ask for 10 percent budget increases at all six counties within his jurisdiction.

“We’ve gotten to a point now where we’re not in a position where we can continue to absorb the increases in the cost of doing business,” Hardin said. “At least not maintaining our current staffing levels.”

Morey had $22,283 cut from his $392,627 request, a sizeable chunk of which had been earmarked for a recreation assistant that would ease the burden of his staff.

“We’re going to do what we do with what we have, but with activities three days a week our guys are putting in 13-hour days that put them at 39 hours in just three days,” he said.

Finance Director Heather Kittrell indicated that with a significant cut from his projected water bill and overtime reduction, an additional staffer might be the most economically feasible course of action.

“Get with Heather and come up with how we could cut overtime, and we’ll discuss it Friday after we finish the hearings,” Budget Committee Chairman Bill Williams told Morey.

Alexander said his office would focus on “maintaining” after the committee trimmed $1,750 from his $441,688 request.

“If T-SPLOST (a special 1 percent regional transportation tax) goes through, we’re going to have a lot to do,” the Planning and Engineering director said. “Gas prices are certainly a concern throughout the county, but it’s something we’ll have to live with. The key for our department is to maintain.”

Meetings are scheduled today with the sheriff’s office, Probate Court, the library director and building inspection. The hearings conclude Friday with meetings scheduled for the facilities and coroner’s offices.