Commissioners
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50¢ Friday/ Saturday December 14-15, 2018 www.perrynewspapers.com After turning herself in, Pittman is out on $100,000 bond: Murder suspect released Suspect Kayla Pittman, the $100,000 bond during 25, turned herself in at the Pittman’s first appearance Taylor County Jail late court hearing Wednesday Tuesday evening to face morning. He also ordered second-degree murder that she wear an active charges for the Dec. 9 early- GPS monitor bracelet for morning shooting death of the duration of the pre-trial Shawnie Easlick, also 25. period and remain under Pittman spent less than 18 house arrest with a 6 p.m. to hours in jail before posting 7 a.m. curfew. a $100,000 bond and being Under the terms of the released shortly after noon pre-trial release, Pittman (12 p.m.) Wednesday. is not allowed to leave the County Judge Bill Blue set county and was ordered to surrender all firearms and ammunition to the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO). Monticello attorney David Collins appeared at the hearing to announce that his firm had been retained to represent Pittman. Pittman, who appeared at the hearing via a satellite video link from the Taylor County Jail, did not speak during the proceedings. Blue opened the hearing Wednesday morning, Kayla Pittman (left) stood alongside two other jail inmates, who were also at Kayla Anne Pittman ➟ Please see page 3 the first appearance hearing on unrelated charges. Judge Bill Blue set a $100,000 bond in Pittman’s case, which she posted before being released three hours later. Commissioners ‘insulted’ by ‘ungrateful’ county workers requesting bigger bonus A trio of county time employees a $50 gift provided to at least some Taylor County employees We appreciate the $50. We looking and getting more employees seeking a card and each of the 62 part- county employees. Kyle Blue, Scott Kemp and know times are tough, but stuff to take care of. You got larger holiday bonus were time (seasonal and call-in) The county commission Tyler Lopez were the first to we were hoping for a little to look at the whole field. sternly rebuffed Monday employees a $25 gift card. has voted in favor of a raise take the podium. bit more.” Man, we’re almost a charity night by Taylor County Since 2007, in any or a one-time bonus or gift “We’re here tonight to “I’ve been out here for case now. We’re coming to Commission Chairperson year in which the board card every year for the past talk to you a little bit about eight years. I run a $250,000 ask,” Kemp said. Pam Feagle, who called did not give employees a 11 years. the – I guess it’s called a piece of equipment and only “Let me tell you them “ungrateful,” and raise, commissioners have The sometimes heated Christmas bonus -- you’re make $12 an hour. I work something,” Feagle said. Commissioner Malcolm provided either a one-time back-and-forth over trying to give us,” Blue out here because I love my “Since I’ve been here, this Page, who said he felt bonus or gift card. The cost bonuses began near the end began. “I think it’s $50. Not county. I mean, $50 doesn’t board, every year, has tried “insulted” by their request. of providing gift cards to all of the county’s Monday only me, I believe I speak even fill my truck up (with to do something for the Last month, county county employees this year evening meeting, when for everybody when I say gas),” Blue said. employees. We gave raises commissioners voted totaled $12,100. Feagle invited those who this, we were kind of hoping “You have a hard job, and to you when we knew we unanimously to give each This is the first year since had issues that were not on you could see if you could you have tried really hard,” shouldn’t be doing that. of the county’s 199 full- 2013 that raises were not the agenda to speak. do a little bit more for us. Kemp said. “I commend When we looked at the [County Administrator] numbers, just like last year LaWanda [Pemberton] for for instance, when we gave stepping up for what she’s you a 3% raise, it came back County employees have received regular done. We come every day to to bite us this year.” do the work that the public Feagle was referring asks you about that you pass to the county’s action in raises and/or bonuses over past 11 years down to the courthouse, November 2017, when the sheriff’s department, animal commission voted to pull The majority of county employees have seen some insurance premiums for county employees, as well as control. We come ready and from reserves to provide form of pay increase in each of the past four years, and 89% of employee + spouse premiums, 91% of employee willing to do whatever it employees with a 3% raise most employees have received either a raise or bonus in + child(ren) premiums and 85% of employee + family takes. after the county had already each of the past 11 years. premium costs. “Then, in the same sense, finalized is annual budget During the same period of time, county employees The county currently pays 100% of each county if a charity comes in and – creating a $283,750 have benefitted from the county absorbing the cost of employees individual health insurance premium says, ‘Well, I need this much recurring annual expense ever-rising health insurance premiums – which have ($9.340 per year). That premium was $7,500 in 2007-08, more.’ And then, ‘Well, here that contributed to the increased between 25-30% over the past 10 years. it is.’ Sometimes we’ve got county struggling to balance ➟ Please see page 2 The county covers 100% of individual health to take care of what we’ve ➟ Please see page 2 already got instead of going Bids sought for six-classroom modular building: Incoming governor New classrooms for Head Start? taps Beshears to be Federal officials expect the U.S. Administration specifically for Taylor operated the Head Start next DBPR Secretary to announce a permanent for Children & Family County, Florida,” Fisher program until 2016, when its Taylor County Head Start (ACF). said. “The FOA closed contract was not renewed. One half of Taylor provider next spring, but in The site is adjacent to the on Aug. 8, 2018. All Following a competitive County’s current state the meantime, CDI Head Boys & Girls Club of North applications are in the bid process, OHS awarded legislative delegation Start, the interim provider, Florida, which has been process of being reviewed the contract to Reach-1 will soon change, as is moving forward with providing classroom space by the Office of Head Start Teach-1 out of Quincy, but Governor-elect Ron purchasing a six-classroom to CDI Head Start since it (OHS). The OHS anticipates the organization’s identity DeSantis announced modular building to house began providing classroom approving a new awardee in was not revealed until a Tuesday that State both Head Start and Early services early this year. Spring 2019.” week prior to the end of the Rep. Halsey Beshears Head Start students. “The modular building The local Boys & Girls district’s contract on Sept. (R-Monticello) will serve Last month, CDI Head will include three Early Club is one of the applicants 30, 2016. as the next secretary of Start advertised for Head Start classrooms that for the Head Start grant. In Although Reach-1 Florida’s Department of proposals to furnish site will serve 24 children, and May, Executive Director Teach-1 officials said they Business and Professional plans, parking and floor three Head Start classrooms Emily Ketring requested had a building in mind Regulation (DBPR). plans for a building to that will serve 51 children. and received letters of to house classrooms, and Both members of Taylor include three Head Start The facility project is support for their application provided parents with a County’s legislative Halsey Beshears (ages 3-4) classrooms, three projected to be complete by from the Taylor County projected November 2016 delegation – Beshears Beshears, of Monticello, Early Head Start (ages 0-2) fall 2019,” he said. Commission and Perry City start date, the agency never and State Senator Bill is his pick to lead the classrooms, kitchen, offices Earlier this year, the ACF Council. opened a single classroom. Montford – were just in state agency charged and a conference room. began soliciting agencies At that time, Ketring told Instead, between October Taylor County on Dec. 3 with regulating Florida’s Community Development to become the permanent the boards that the club had 2016 and April 2017, to hear state funding and businesses. Institute Head Start (CDI provider of Taylor County the support of the Taylor Reach-1 Teach-1 provided other requests from local “Florida’s trillion- Head Start) was awarded Head Start Services. County School District, home-based services to residents and elected dollar economy is one-time funds to purchase “The Administration which provided Head Start a monthly average of 53 officials. founded on thriving a six-classroom modular for Children and Families services 1994 through 2016 students -- barely a third One week later, businesses -- from the building at 909 Center Street publicly posted an open and did not plan to seek the of its funded enrollment of Florida’s incoming ➟ Please see page 12 in Perry, said Pat Fisher, Funding Opportunity grant.