Jefferson County meeting gets heated after employee expresses concerns over pay
WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - A Jefferson County employee took her concerns of her pay to in front of legislators, and things got heated.
Tuesday night, as the Jefferson County Finance and Rules Committee prepared to vote on new employee pay scales, County Clerk Gizelle Meeks raised an issue during privilege of the floor.
She argued her proposed compensation is not what it should be, based on data collected by the Burke Group on what other counties pay people in her role.
As she spoke, Legislator Pat Jareo asked a question, Meeks responded, then committee chair Mike Montigelli interjected to say that was not the forum for back and forth.
Below is some of the two-and-a-half minute exchange:
Meeks: “The peer median is $91,170, do you devalue me that much?
*Jareo asks a question inaudibly*
Meeks: “Absolutely.”
Montigelli: “Privilege of the floor is where we address, people speak. Within reason she gets to go on. The precedent it sets is the problem.”
Meeks: “I’m not upset, I just need validation.”
*Gavel bangs*
Montigelli: “The precedent it sets is the problem.
Meeks: “Okay.”
Montigelli: “You came, you spoke to the committee, you want to deal with individual members after the committee meeting, be my guest. No.”
Meeks: “Don’t holler at me, he asked me a question.”
Montigelli: “He cannot. I have the floor.”
Meeks: “I agree.”
Montigelli: “You have privilege of the floor. That’s as far as we’re going.”
Meeks: “That’s fine, I agree with you 100%.”
Montigelli: “So we’re not setting a precedent here tonight where we’re going to have a debate.”
Meeks: “So why are you hollering at me?”
Montigelli: “Because you came to ask questions of members who now want to respond, which is not part of the meeting structure.”
Meeks: “I agree with you. I’m not the one who spoke out.”
Montigelli: “So finish your presentation and please sit down.”
Meeks says this is not the first time Montigelli has raised his voice at her and she believes he spoke to her that way because she is a woman.
Montigelli did not answer our calls today asking for a response.
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