Supervisors adopt nepotism policy 3.13.2014

Amy Boucher

March 14, 2014

 

 

Supervisors adopt nepotism policy, 3-2

Policy proposer votes no; says it is not an anti-nepotism policy

 

INDEPENDENCE -- The rift among members of the Grayson County Board of Supervisors was apparent again Thursday night as they divided over an anti-nepotism policy first proposed at their organizational meeting in January. The board voted 3-2 to adopt a policy that would prohibit the supervisors from hiring family members but would allow them to appoint family members to boards, authorities, committees or commissions. The policy allows only one such family appointment per board, authority or commission and prohibits supervisors from serving on the same board or commission as a family member.

"Family member" includes spouse, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, mothers- and fathers-in-law, brothers- and sisters-in-law, sons- and daughters-in-law, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and adopted, half and step members of the immediate family.

The supervisors are responsible for disclosing their familial relationships prior to any consideration of employment or appointment.

"This is not anti-nepotism," said Oldtown Supervisor Kenneth Belton, who asked for a policy in January, explaining his negative vote. This policy would allow supervisors to appoint family members to many different boards, he said.

Elk Creek Supervisor Brenda Sutherland also voted no. She said the draft policy that was defeated by the other three supervisors in February was a "true anti-nepotism policy."

That draft would not have allowed the Grayson supervisors to hire or appoint any "family member."

County Administrator Jonathan Sweet offered another option, which also would have prohibited employment or appointment of family members, but would have omitted aunts and uncles from the definition of family members.

At-large Supervisor David Sexton moved to adopt the more lenient option, which allows family members to serve on boards. Chairman John Brewer told Sweet last month that he thought one family member should be able to serve per board or commission.

When Sutherland objected to the proposal, Sexton said that most anti-nepotism policies refer to employment, and that the proposal clearly excludes hiring of family members. He recalled that Belton did not want supervisors to be able to "stack the deck" on boards or commissions, and said that limiting participation to only one member of a supervisor's family would prevent that.

"We've always got the safety valve of the board," Wilson District Supervisor Glen Eddie Rosenbaum added. The supervisors must approve all appointments and he said he couldn't think of any appointments made by the supervisors leading to a family member doing something "out of line."

He asked the county administrator if he could think of any examples. Appearing non-plussed, Sweet said he was not prepared to offer any examples.

Rosenbaum said the policy gave the supervisors "a little room to move" so that they could appoint a relative if the relative is more qualified than any other candidate.

Brewer said many times it's hard to fill positions and the supervisors sometimes appoint family members "out of desperation."

"I just don't think it's right," Belton said, and reiterated his support for the draft prohibiting family members from employment or appointment.

Following adoption of the policy, the supervisors voted 3-2 (along the same lines) to recommend appointment of Greg Hash to the county Zoning Board of Appeals. The circuit court judge makes this appointment, based on the supervisors' recommendation.

Rosenbaum nominated Hash, with Sexton seconding.

Hash would replace Tony Caudill, who expressed a desire to continue to serve and who was nominated by Belton and seconded by Sutherland.

About Caudill, Rosenbaum said, "I don't know this gentleman and I've got a problem voting for somebody I don't know about....what they stand for." For that reason, he "went out and found somebody."

Greg Hash is the husband of Lisa Hash, whom Rosenbaum nominated in February for the county Planning Commission and who was appointed.

Brewer asked Rosenbaum if he wanted to interview Caudill.

"No, I'm fine with my motion," Rosenbaum said.

After the vote Belton said, "I do know Mr. Hash and he'll be excellent," adding that Caudill had done a fine job.