No unthawing of the hiring freeze

In recent days, Danny Cooper is one of a number of Oconee County employees who’ve quit.  He has found a higher paying job, but at last night’s county council meeting he conveyed his frustration over having to support his family on a salary based on a pay rate of $12.12 an hour.  After telling the council that he enjoyed his job at the Richland convenience center and how he’ll miss the customers he interacted with, Cooper pointedly asked Council Chairman Durham if he could support his family on $12.12 an hour.  Chairman Durham last night took the position that he wants further data on why Amanda Brock, the county administrator, is pressing the council to fill 17 open positions in five departments, including solid waste.  The hiring freeze and what the county pays its employees sparked debate last night in a 3-2 fashion, and a 3-2 vote succeeded to table lifting the hiring freeze, which District Four’s Julian Davis called for in a motion he admitted he knew would not pass.  For an economic development matter, the council will hold a special meeting Friday.  At that time, it’s Chairman Durham’s hope that Administrator Brock can come forth with the data he’d like to have before he’d vote to lift the hiring freeze.  Brock isn’t sure she can gather all that Durham seeks by Friday.