Carter County Finance Director Ingrid Deloach could see a raise in her future.
Members of the Financial Management Committee conducted their performance evaluation review on Deloach during their meeting on Wednesday and, based on that review, voted unanimously to recommend to the full Commission that Deloach receive a raise.
Committee Chair JoAnn Blankenship said that before the meeting Wednesday she had spoken to the various department heads and elected officials and said they “presented only positive comments” regarding Deloach’s job performance.
“They all said ‘I have nothing negative to say about her or the Finance Department,’ and they all said they would be willing to submit their opinions in writing if necessary,” Blankenship said.
Blankenship reported to the committee that she had compiled a list of the comments she had received from the department heads and elected officials, and read some of them aloud:
• “exhibits a high degree of confidence in herself and her department”
• “has proven she can tolerate a great deal of pressure”
• “listens well”
• “is careful to keep others informed in a timely manner”
• “does not hesitate to make decisions on difficult issues and displays a high level of confidence in her decision-making abilities”
Blankenship said she heard no negative comments about Deloach or her job performance and that she felt Deloach “has earned the unfailing trust of the department heads and elected officials.”
She then asked other members of the committee for their opinions on Deloach’s job performance.
Kevin Ward, director of Carter County Schools and a member of the committee, also had high praise for Deloach.
“The communication is good with Ingrid. We have no complaints,” Ward said, adding that all of the school system’s requests have been handled in a timely manner. “She is a good liaison between the school system and the Commission.”
Ward also said that since Deloach has been working with the school system’s bookkeepers, the audit reports received by the school system have improved. “Our deficiencies have come down dramatically and that is because of Ingrid and her staff,” he said.
Road Superintendant Jack Perkins also spoke highly of the work done by Deloach. “I have the greatest respect for Ingrid,” he said. “She has been a tremendous help to me.”
Committee member Tom “Yogi” Bowers said that Deloach’s benefit to the county goes beyond just her “working knowledge.” He said there have been many times that he has had questions and had to contact her after hours or on weekends and she has always been willing to help.
“She will be a great resource for the new commissioners coming on,” Bowers said. “They can learn more in one conversation with her than they will in a two-day orientation in Nashville.”
After discussion by the committee, a motion to increase Deloach’s pay by $2,500 to bring it in-line with the trustee was made by Perkins and seconded by Ward. The motion passed unanimously.