KNOXVILLE (WATE) - A proposal may limit the amount of bonus payments for an online training course bonus program that has come under scrutiny in Knox County.
Knox County Commission Chairman Mike Hammond will propose Monday a resolution that would cap the bonuses of an online training known as County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS).
Under his proposal, county officials and full-time government employees would receive up to but no more that $1,000.
"I thought that was reasonable, as long as it's improving their jobs and improving what they're doing for Knox County," Hammond said.
Hammond said the proposal stems from a compromise reached between Register of Deeds Sherry Witt and Property Assessor Phil Ballard.
Hammond said both fee officers wanted guidance on how to move forward with the CTAS program. The property assessor and register of deeds offices use extra money from fee collections to pay their employees bonuses.
"They do have employees who are in the process of taking these hours and taking these courses, and they wanted to know where they stand in terms of their money," Hammond said.
It's been months since commission addressed the CTAS issue.
The county trustee's office has been under investigation since January after allegations of employees in that office taking tests for others and collecting the bonus money before completion of the course.
Over the last two years, five of the six fee offices in Knox County handed out bonuses amounting to more than $140,000.
The county currently has no uniform policy of how much bonuses can be handed out.
The trustee's office gave out $3,000 compared to $1,500 for the register of deeds. Criminal court clerk employees received $1,700 in bonuses.
"There is this ambiguity, and it is up in the air. I thought it would be better for us to discuss it and see if we come up for some type of compromise arrangement just to know what these officers holders are looking at," Hammond said.
Commissioner R. Larry Smith formed a CTAS task force after the trustee's office went under investigation. Smith said his committee will wait to convene until after the investigation into the CTAS bonuses is complete.
"I'm waiting for the investigation to be through, and then the committee will meet, because I think it's going to shed light on how the committee is going to decide and how they're going to react," he said.
Until then, Smith said he wouldn't vote for Hammond's proposals. He said bonuses of up to $1,000 are still too much.
"I want to keep the course," Smith said. "The course itself is really good, it's really informative for the employees, but I don't think they need a bonus for taking it."
Hammond said if the resolution does pass, the amount will be changed or modified at any time. Commissioners have the option to vote on the first of two readings for this resolution, they could also defer, or make no decision.
The county contributes money to the program but only for county employees.
The county's elected officials who take part in the program receive their bonuses through the state.
Knox County commissioners will hear a proposal Monday to cap the bonuses paid to county employees for online training.
