Wednesday, March 13, 2002
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Wednesday, March 13, 2002 |
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New conference room gets 2nd green light By DAVE
HAMRICK
Fayette County commissioners will go forward with plans to re-configure their conference room. Commission Chairman Greg Dunn's motion to reverse an earlier decision in the matter failed 3-2 last week following a brief discussion. Commissioner Linda Wells, who voted in favor of Dunn's motion to reconsider the earlier vote, joined commissioners Herb Frady and A.G. VanLandingham when it came to the vote to reverse. Dunn and Peter Pfeifer voted in favor of the motion to reverse. "I believe very strongly we're supposed to determine policy" and support staff's recommendations on everyday matters, said Wells after asking County Administrator Chris Cofty for his recommendation on the matter. Cofty said the additional conference room space is needed not only for some commission meetings, but also for daily staff use. "We have quite a few meetings that go on here on a daily basis," he said. Dunn had argued that on the rare occasions that the conference room is too small for commissioners, they can move to a larger room elsewhere in the County Administrative Complex. He also said the project will result in some commissioners' offices being enlarged. "That all seems a little bit unnecessary to me," he said. "This area is for part time employees." VanLandingham, who originally presented the project to commissioners, said the idea came from staff, not from him. "It was their desire to do it. I said I would bring it to the commission," VanLandingham said, adding he resented what he considered to be an implication that larger commission offices was an ulterior motive. "If it would be a better way to serve the community, I would vote for it again," he said. Dunn said commissioners earlier had set a priority of making more room for the county's Human Resources Department, and that project should take priority. "We have in this building full-time employees that have unsatisfactory working conditions," he said. "Some of our people never see the light of day." But Cofty said staff members hope to accomplish both projects. "It's our goal to complete [both] projects in the current budget cycle," he said.
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