Rick Patrick: Greene Publishing, Inc.
A matter that was previously brought before the Board of Madison County Commissioners was revisited during the regular meeting of the board on Wednesday, Feb. 27. At question was whether the county's road department should remain on a four 10-hour per day, Monday to Thursday work week; or revert back to a five eight-hour per day, Monday to Friday work week.
In 2008, it was decided by the board to temporarily move to the four-day work week in order to save fuel costs. This four-day work week for the road department had become accepted practice until the County Coordinator, Brian Kauffman, proposed a return to a five-day work week for the road department. According to Kauffman, the reason for proposing the five-day work week was to increase customer service for county residents needing to access the department on Fridays. "The road department is one of the most important departments in the county," said Kauffman. "I have to consider what it means to the public; we serve the public. [If] we are available to the public on Fridays, that's 52 more days out of the year that we are available to the public." Kauffman also brought up the fact that the road department is the only county department working a four-day work week. "When you have one department doing something different from the rest of the departments, that cripples us," said Kauffman. "All we're asking [the road department] is to work what they used to work. Work what I work, work what the other departments work."
Other road department employees asked the board to leave the work schedule as it is, saying that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Some employees of the road department have side jobs and having Fridays off allows them more time to devote to those side jobs. One long-time county employee, Buddy Bryant, addressed the board and stated that the department employees understand that their first obligation is to the county. He still asked that the schedule be kept at four days per week. Commissioner Donnie Waldrep stated his feelings on the matter. "I think each department works independently," said Waldrep. "The road department works differently than, say an office staff, works. We would not tell the EMS department to only work five days out of the week. I agree with [others]. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
A motion to leave the road department at a four-day work week was defeated on a 3-2 vote. Commissioner Alfred Martin and Commissioner Donnie Waldrep voted in favor of the motion.