Madison Co. notebook: Lawyers cost commission more than mandated pay raise, chicken farms raises concerns

The Madison County Commission and Sheriff John Mehr spent more on combined lawyer fees than the cost to implement a mandated pay raise.

On Monday, the commission approved nearly $570,000 in legal expenses for the county and MCSO lawyers as part of the Mehr's funding lawsuit. 

In October, a judge granted all the department's certified officers a 7% raise. 

The details on the exact number of eligible employees are unknown, but the county's finance department estimates it will cost taxpayers $350,000 to $375,000 to implement those raises starting in December. 

Madison County employees receive 3% pay raise

All county employees, except those in the Jackson-Madison County School System and parts of the Madison County Sheriff's Office, will receive a 3% raise. 

The county commission cut every department's budget by 3% in June due to uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. The county finance department initially projected a multimillion-dollar loss in tax revenue.

That loss has yet to happen — instead, the commission's cash reserves have grown. 

Budget committee chairman Doug Stephenson (R) said giving a countywide raise was the right move to make, considering no one received a raise during this year's budget process. 

The decision to give out raises will cost taxpayers an additional $335,000 through the end of the county's fiscal year. 

Beech Bluff residents voice concerns about Tyson chicken farms

A group of Beech Bluff residents spoke during the meeting's public comments section to voice opposition to a set of proposed chicken factory farms in the community.

The planned Tyson plant in Humboldt, expected to begin operations next year, will require hundreds of nearby factory-style chicken farms to provide poultry for production.

The group raised concerns regarding the potential impacts the 600-foot chicken farms would have on their environment and property value.

Henderson County residents voiced similar opposition in September.

Like parts of Henderson County, Beech Bluff doesn't have strong zoning regulations, allowing chicken houses to be built on any land already zoned for commercial agriculture.

Reach Adam Friedman by email at afriedman@jacksonsun.com, by phone at 731-431-8517 or follow him on Twitter @friedmanadam5.