Columbus
paying board top dollar
By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer
At $13,361 a year for commissioners and $16,234 for the chairman, commissioners in Columbus County earn more for their public service than commissioners in more than 80 counties, including Brunswick, Bladen, Pender, and Robeson.
It’s one area in which Columbus County ranks with some of the largest and wealthiest counties in the state.
Only 11 counties pay their commissioners a higher salary than Columbus, according to a North Carolina Institute of Government Survey and additional data requested from individual counties by The News Reporter.
The correct data For Columbus County did not appear on the survey that listed “no data” for the chairman’s salary and only $45 per meeting for commissioners. The survey is emailed to counties and compiled with information that counties provide.
In addition to the monthly pay, Columbus County commissioners are eligible for travel expenses and health insurance.
Only three of the seven commissioners are covered under the county health plan. They are Chairman Sammie Jacobs and commissioners Amon McKenzie and Lynwood Norris, according to the county personnel office. Commissioners Bill Memory, James Prevatte, Ricky Bullard and Ronald Gore do not take the coverage.
The fiscal 2006-07 county governing body budget totals $301,529 and includes $1,700 in telephone, $12,000 in travel, and $92,000 in general liability insurance.
Insurance benefits account for $46,994 of the board’s estimated fiscal 2006-07 budget, compared to $7,433 for insurance benefits in fiscal 2000-01.
County salary surveys published since 2001, which include comparisons of county employee and governing body salaries across the state may be viewed online at the N.C. Institute of Government publications website at iog.unc.edu/pubs/electronicversions/csalindex.htm.
The News Reporter surveyed local municipalities to determine governing body salaries around the county. Here is what we found.
The City of Whiteville spends a total of $18,250 a year on its Mayor and council.
The Town of Chadbourn spends $6,700 a year on its council. The mayor receives $1,500, the mayor pro-tem gets $1,200 and council members earn $1,000 a year.
The Town of Fair Bluff pays council members $1200 and the mayor $6,000 a year.
The Town of Lake Waccamaw governing board’s total is $7,000, according the fiscal 2006-07 budget. The mayor and board members receive $600 per year.
