The Century Council approved in a 3 to 1 vote Century Mayor Henry Hawkins' recommendation to hire Tammy Parish starting at $9.25 an hour as clerk tech and increase town employee Jolene Tipton's pay to $9.50 an hour at Monday night's meeting.
Councilwoman Ann Brooks asked if the job opening had been advertised and where. According to Century Town Clerk Kim Godwin, the job opening had been advertised for two weeks in two newspapers and online, as required for public notice by Florida Statutes.
Brooks asked Hawkins if he thought the town could work with the work force it already has and Hawkins said no. Brooks asked what Tipton would be doing differently to warrant a pay raise and Hawkins said she would have increased responsibilities. Councilman Luis Gomez asked if the money was budgeted for the hiring and pay raise and Hawkins said it was.
Brooks asked how many applications were submitted. There were about 10 applications of which five were reachable and interviewed, according to Godwin.
Gomez made a motion to hire Parish at $9.25 an hour and increase Tipton's pay to $9.50 an hour which was seconded by Councilwoman Sandra McMurray Jackson. Councilman James Smith, Jackson and Gomez voted yes. Councilwoman Ann Brooks voted no.
“I feel like we have more than the number of employees we need in the office, we just cannot afford it,” said Brooks. “It's time for us to start cutting back. We feel like we have to replace someone just because they were included in the budget.”
