As Pickens County moves toward a new form of government, from a sole commissioner structure to a three commission board, more details about the new government come to light.The most recent detail is the pay scale of the office of commission chairman.

On June 21st, in an article reporting on the candidates’ forum at the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce, FYN stated that, if elected, current Commissioner Robert Jones would retain his present salary of $105, 731, which includes benefits and is the result of a locked-in, accumulated compensations of the past eight years. In the current structure, the sole commissioner is paid $1200 above the highest paid county official currently in office. Jones’ salary was elevated when Sheriff Billy Wofford, who made $98,296, was in office. Jones’ salary remained so even after Wofford left office. Presently, the highest paid official is the sheriff, who makes $69,000. Based on this structure, a different candidate winning the position would make $1200 above $69,000, thus saving the county approximately $35,000 annually. This structure will change, however, with the advent of the new form of government.

In a conversation with FYN today, Commissioner Jones clarified the pay structure of the new position. Since the office of chairman will be a new position, any candidate who wins the office will be paid the same annual salary, $78,800, which includes the additional $1200, Jones said. In our June 21st article, we said that if Jones’ opponent, Wesley Weaver, won the election the county would save $35,000. This statement was based on the previous pay scale structure. However, in light of the pay scale for the new chairman position, this would not be the case. If elected, Weaver would receive the same salary as if Jones wins, $78,800.