Until a cost accounting study is completed, clerk of court Joan Griffies will have to wait for a requested stipend to her salary.

Griffies asked the Coweta County Board of Commissioners Tuesday afternoon to add a stipend to her salary because she also handles the jury selection process for the State Court.

The clerk said that state Judge Herbert Cranford agreed with her and said she was helping out his office a great deal.

County administrator Theron Gay agreed with Griffies' assessment and said he asked Cranford what he thought a suitable stipend would be for the clerk.

Cranford said he thought $200 a quarter would be a fair amount, which brought a look of shock to the clerk's face.

“Two hundred dollars a quarter is not a lot. The bottom line is I do a lot, but nobody can pay me what I think I'm worth,” she said.

Griffies told the commissioners about all the effort that went into jury management, including stamping and addressing the envelopes.

But commission Chairman Vernon “Mutt” Hunter stopped her in her tracks.

“The items you're talking about are paid for by the county. What we're talking about here is a stipend for you,” he said.

Griffies said she has to deal with about 1,500 jurors a year, but added she has not done a cost analysis or comparison with other counties to see what sort of stipend is paid to other clerks.

Commissioner Robert Wood suggested the county, including finance department head Rick Smoot and Griffies, do a cost analysis and bring back a figure for the commissioners to discuss.

Hunter asked that Cranford be included in the study and reminded the commissioners that Cranford had already suggested an amount.

“He is the man,” Hunter said.

The commissioners will discuss the item again after the study is completed.

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