MACON, Ga. — Macon-Bibb Mayor Robert Reichert on Wednesday vetoed a proposal to give all of the county’s employees $1,000 bonuses.
Bibb County Commissioner Joe Allen sponsored the original proposal to spend more than $2 million from the county’s general fund for the bonuses.
“After careful consideration of the decision by the Commission to spend an additional $2.3 million above the approved Fiscal Year 2020 Budget for a one-time bonus, I have decided to veto this ordinance,” Reichert said in a letter to the Macon-Bibb Board of Commissioners.
In the letter, Reichert said consolidation in 2014 forced the county to reduce its budgets, meaning employees had to take on more duties with fewer resources.
“Our employees deserve to be paid more for all they are asked to do by us and for the expectations placed on them by our community,” Reichert said.
He said that if the bonus check commissioners proposed is a pre-tax check, then employees would receive less money than they were promised.
“And I know that will cause distrust in the process,” Reichert said.
Reichert said giving employees a bonus check will constrict the county’s ability to give employees raises that will "benefit them for years, not just once.”
“I have urged Commissioners to move forward with a full pay scale, study, and continue holding the line on expenses (or further reduce them) and vacancies this year, so that we can provide you, our employees, with what you deserve and to strengthen our financial standing,” Reichert said.
Bibb County Sheriff David Davis has addressed commissioners before, asking for salary increases for deputies and other county employees so Macon can compete with surrounding counties.
Commissioner Joe Allen told 13WMAZ he plans on fighting the veto because he believes something needs to be done to help first responders.