[2/3/04]A Pike County resident will be paid $75,000 per year for a Warren County job District 2 Supervisor Michael Mayfield thinks should have gone to a local person.

“The constituents of District 2 are very much aware the top-paying positions in Warren County are going to people who do not live in Warren County,” Mayfield said after a 3-2 vote. “I don’t know what your constituency thinks about this but my constituents do not like it.”

District 1 Supervisor David McDonald responded, “My people want the best-qualified person” in the job, adding the county can attract better-qualified people with broader searches.

The job is GIS director. It involves using Global Information System data to prepare maps and other records to inventory and track land ownership, taxes, school assignments, voting district lines and more.

The board has wanted such a system since 2000 and first budgeted money in Fiscal 2002 to pay a consultant.

McDonald made a motion to hire David Rankin of Pike County who has been the GIS consultant. District 4 Supervisor Carl Flanders offered a substitute motion to hire Kimbal Slaton of Vicksburg. The motion failed on a 3-2 vote with Flanders and Mayfield voting to hire Slaton and McDonald, District 5 Supervisor Richard George and District 3 Supervisor and board president Charles Selmon voting against. The board then voted 3-2 to hire Rankin with Selmon and Mayfield voting against.

Mayfield then made a motion to require Rankin to be a Warren County resident before he goes on the payroll. Selmon seconded. “Mr. Rankin has already indicated he will move to Warren County,” Selmon said. “I don’t see a problem.”