Letter to the Editor: What is your time worth?

A recent letter criticizing the compensation of the Jasper County Board of Supervisors (BOS) paints an unfair and misleading picture of what these elected officials actually do. The argument rests on the assumption that the supervisors work only a few hours a week and don’t need the pay because they have other jobs. But let’s ask a simple question — what is your time worth?

Do you really believe that managing the business of an entire county only takes a few hours? That overseeing budgets, infrastructure, public safety, and economic development is something that can be done in a handful of meetings? If it were that easy, everyone would do it.

The reality is that being a supervisor is much more than just attending public meetings. It involves studying budgets, handling constituent concerns, coordinating with various departments, responding to emergencies, and making tough decisions that impact thousands of people. Many of these responsibilities happen behind the scenes, long after official meetings are over.

Now, let’s talk about the pay. The supervisors make around $47,000 a year. That is not an outrageous salary for a government official responsible for managing millions of dollars in taxpayer funds. If we want competent, qualified individuals to step up and serve, they need to be compensated fairly. Otherwise, we risk only attracting people who can afford to work for free — which leaves out a large portion of the population and severely limits the talent pool.

Suggesting they take a stipend of $2,500 a year is laughable. That wouldn’t even cover the cost of gas for all the county-related travel they do. If we want effective leadership, we need to recognize the value of their time and expertise.

It’s easy to criticize from the outside, but before calling for pay cuts, let’s ask ourselves — would you take on the enormous responsibility of managing an entire county for pennies? Would you dedicate countless hours to budgeting, infrastructure, public safety, and community development for next to nothing? Does being a “public servant” mean working for free, sacrificing your expertise, and giving up the most valuable commodity in life — time? If not, then maybe it’s time to reconsider whether these salaries are truly “bloated” or simply fair compensation for the dedication and effort required to keep our county running efficiently.

Wayne Mitchell

Newton