Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
QC rejects grievance
By MIRANDA REMAKLUS
mremaklus@paragoulddailypress.com
A grievance committee of the Greene County Quorum Court shot down a complaint by Greene County Circuit Clerk’s office employee Mary Ellen Morris.
Morris and her attorney, Jay Scurlock, requested the hearing to discuss Circuit Clerk Ellen Johnson decision to demote Morris from her chief deputy position to the position of deputy clerk. The demotion reduced Morris’s pay by $1,426 per year.
The committee, composed of justices of the peace, voted 9-1 to leave Morris’s salary and title as Johnson delegated it. JP Robert Hailey was the lone dissenting voice.
Morris said she asked County Clerk Linda Heritage about the deduction in her salary. Morris said Heritage told her she would need to speak with Johnson.
Morris said on June 9 she spoke with Johnson. Morris said Johnson had said she previously demoted Morris because of an incident four years ago involving a bail bondsman’s list. Morris said that per Arkansas law the list was supposed to contain the bonding company, phone number and address, and no agent’s name.
Morris said Johnson asked her to put the agent’s names back on the list. Morris refused and said she didn’t want to break the law.
Morris noted this was four years ago. Morris said Johnson asked during the June 9 meeting if she remembered the incident and if she was expecting the salary reduction.
Morris said despite being told she was no longer chief deputy four years ago, she was still being paid the chief deputy’s salary and was given a chief deputy’s badge.
Johnson told JPs that when a law is changed and affects people that work with her office, she likes to send those effected a letter letting them know about the changes. Johnson said Morris went ahead and composed the list without the agent’s name.
“As for my son being a bail bondsman, that had nothing to do with it,” Johnson said. “All of the agents on that list were effected and I wanted to send them a note informing them of the changes. I’m not up here to break any laws.”
Johnson noted a different organization handles the bail bondsmen list now.
JP Bill Burton said Johnson made two mistakes. “She didn’t document the demotion and she didn’t talk with Mary Ellen prior to the pay deduction,” Burton said.
Hailey noted Johnson was upset with Morris over what Johnson deemed insubordination. Hailey asked why Morris was still being paid a chief deputies salary and why she decided to make the deduction four years later.
Johnson told Hailey there was no one in the office she wanted to promote that would accept the position. Johnson said this was the reason she allowed Morris to stay at the same pay level.
It was noted during the hearing that Morris has been with Johnson the entire length of her time in office, which will be 20 years at the end of the year.
Morris and her attorney, Jay Scurlock, requested the hearing to discuss Circuit Clerk Ellen Johnson decision to demote Morris from her chief deputy position to the position of deputy clerk. The demotion reduced Morris’s pay by $1,426 per year.
The committee, composed of justices of the peace, voted 9-1 to leave Morris’s salary and title as Johnson delegated it. JP Robert Hailey was the lone dissenting voice.
Morris said she asked County Clerk Linda Heritage about the deduction in her salary. Morris said Heritage told her she would need to speak with Johnson.
Morris said on June 9 she spoke with Johnson. Morris said Johnson had said she previously demoted Morris because of an incident four years ago involving a bail bondsman’s list. Morris said that per Arkansas law the list was supposed to contain the bonding company, phone number and address, and no agent’s name.
Morris said Johnson asked her to put the agent’s names back on the list. Morris refused and said she didn’t want to break the law.
ADVERTISEMENT |
Morris said despite being told she was no longer chief deputy four years ago, she was still being paid the chief deputy’s salary and was given a chief deputy’s badge.
Johnson told JPs that when a law is changed and affects people that work with her office, she likes to send those effected a letter letting them know about the changes. Johnson said Morris went ahead and composed the list without the agent’s name.
“As for my son being a bail bondsman, that had nothing to do with it,” Johnson said. “All of the agents on that list were effected and I wanted to send them a note informing them of the changes. I’m not up here to break any laws.”
Johnson noted a different organization handles the bail bondsmen list now.
JP Bill Burton said Johnson made two mistakes. “She didn’t document the demotion and she didn’t talk with Mary Ellen prior to the pay deduction,” Burton said.
Hailey noted Johnson was upset with Morris over what Johnson deemed insubordination. Hailey asked why Morris was still being paid a chief deputies salary and why she decided to make the deduction four years later.
Johnson told Hailey there was no one in the office she wanted to promote that would accept the position. Johnson said this was the reason she allowed Morris to stay at the same pay level.
It was noted during the hearing that Morris has been with Johnson the entire length of her time in office, which will be 20 years at the end of the year.
 |
||
| Jury selection begins in Monica Cluck trial; no jurors chosen yet |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of paragoulddailypress.com.
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
Please note: We provide our story commenting feature in order to solicit feedback, debate and discussion on topics of local interest. Please keep in mind that civility is a necessary component of productive conversation. All blatantly inflammatory or otherwise inappropriate comments (i.e. vulgarity, marketing, etc.) are subject to rejection and/or removal. Comments will appear if and when they are approved. Thanks for reading, and thanks for participating.