First all of you can’t blame Billy Yow:
Commissioner Billy Yow voted against the bonuses — and the entire consent agenda at the March meeting. But he said he’s not for rescinding them now that they’ve been offered.
Yow said he’s concerned that killing the bonus offer could open the county to lawsuits, but County Attorney Mark Payne said reconsidering the offer is legal and well within the commissioners’ power.
Several commissioners said Yow, a Republican who is stepping down from the board after finishing his current term, is using the commissioners’ initial oversight on the bonuses to embarrass the mostly Democratic board as they go into November’s elections.
Question—who can Yow possibly embarrass when the commission chairman —Democrat Skip Alston —-is apologizing for not knowing what’s going on?
Never mind the fact that Alston says lifting the retirement bonus cap will save the county money because the positions will be vacant for four to six months.
Also never mind the fact that if the employees don’t get their fat bonuses, they’ll still have their —as the N&R puts it —a “generous pension and medical benefit package.”
