Some former chairmen and vice chairmen of the County Commission said they plan to decline unexpected back pay.
Those include Jim Coppinger, who is now county mayor, and Larry Henry, the current clerk of Circuit Court.
Randy Fairbanks, current vice chairman, said he plans to turn down the money ($3,280). He said, "I understood when I took the position that I would be getting an additional $2,500. I don't think I should be entitled to any more."
However, Chairman Chester Bankston said he will take the $5,318 offered him. He said, "I am getting a pay cut so I am taking it." Under the recent commission resolution, the chairman will continue to get $5,000 extra and the vice chairman $2,500 extra, but they would not be eligible for percentage raises.
Commissioner Jim Fields, who is in line to get $6,969, had "no comment" when asked if he was accepting the money.
County finance officials said former Commissioner Fred Skillern advised that he was planning to take the $8,879 offered him and donate it to a charitable cause. He said officials were first told that they had to take the money so he promised half to Soddy Daisy High School and half to Sale Creek High School. He said officials were later told they could reject the money, but he said he had already made the promise to the two high schools.
County Mayor Coppinger had been penciled in for $1,073, and Circuit Court Clerk Henry for $5,250.
The county mayor said, "I do not feel that said additional compensation is deserved. Therefore, I do hereby relieve Hamilton County of any obligation to pay me this compensation."
Circuit Court Clerk Henry said, "I do not want, nor will accept, any further compensation. I hereby relieve Hamilton County of any obligation to pay me $5,250 additional compensation."
The issue arose when it was found that a 1990 resolution was still on the books that gave the chairman 40 percent more than the other commissioners and the vice chairman an extra 30 percent. The commission in 1999 began going to the extra $5,000 and $2,500.