Three judges serving Jackson County met with the board of commissioners last week to request funds for additional employees.
Superior Court Judge David Motes, Probate Court Judge Margaret Deadwyler and Jackson County Juvenile Court Judge Kevin Guidry met with the BOC, which took no action on their requests.
Motes asked for money to help fund a judicial court administrator and a secretary to be shared throughout the Piedmont Judicial Circuit.
“The position should be housed in Jackson County since the county is centrally located between the other two counties,” Motes said.
Finance Director John Hulsey said the salaries would be split among the three counties. Barrow County would pay 45 percent, Jackson County 41 percent and Banks County 14 percent. Jackson’s share would amount to $55,097, which would increase the county’s total share of Superior Court costs to $268,292 annually.
The court administrator would handle scheduling, including state court, and would help make decisions about superior court and magistrate court, Motes said.
Motes said a committee would be formed to write the job description and conduct the interview process for this position.
BOC Chairman Pat Bell said she felt like all of clerks of court should be involved in this process since they would all work with this person on scheduling and other issues.
Probate Court
Deadwyler asked the commissioners to fund a full-time deputy clerk position at a cost of $43,876 annually.
“The probate court is overwhelmed and three people cannot do this anymore,” Deadwyler said.
Deadwyler noted that the number of firearms license has jumped considerably. In 2007, 586 licenses were issues, and, as of June 17, the county had issued 484 this year. Deadwyler said as of July 1, the law demands that in 10 days the firearms license either be issued or a hearing be held on the reason it cannot be issued.
She also told the commissioners that new rules regarding how birth and death certificates are handled require more staff time.
Deadwyler said the probate court is 15 years behind in scanning records.
Thompson suggested hiring a student to work part-time to help with this issue.
Juvenile Court
Guidry asked the BOC to fund three positions in juvenile court. He wants to hire a deputy program coordinator, an associate guardian and a legal secretary. Jackson County’s cost to fund the three positions would be $70,000 annually.
“Last year, we asked for a deputy program coordinator and the funding was not there,” Guidry said.
