Community activist Kymara Seals issued a call to action to Jefferson County citizens to reach out to their justices of the peace in hopes of resolving a 2025 budget dispute with County Judge Gerald Robinson.
As one of the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Social Justice Activists, Seals led an “emergency” community meeting Thursday to allow county workers and citizens ask questions amid the dispute that has led to a stalemate in passage of the budget, therefore withholding pay of nonelected county workers as scheduled Wednesday. No walkouts among any county workers have been reported, however.
The 13-member Quorum Court failed twice this week to approve a budget suggested by Robinson, which includes several job cuts and reductions in pay for other positions, as well as jail services the sheriff’s department provides. Robinson, who did not attend the community meeting, has said a budget proposed by a majority of the JPs has not gone through legal procedures to even be vetoed, adding he does not have a vote.
“We all have an assignment between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.,” Seals admonished an audience inside the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center. “There are these six justices — and let me tell you something — deep in my heart, after yesterday, I believe they want to do what’s right. There were things in (the budget) they did not know. We’ve got to give them cover. Yeah. … You know what that means? We’ve got to call all of them. Put that pressure on them.
“We are looking for justice. Don’t call the county judge. Don’t call him. He doesn’t have a vote. … But let me tell you something, it’s going to be a bad day when these justices unite and do what’s right. But we’ve got to encourage them. We’ve got to call them, all of us.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Seals called out the six JPs who often side with Robinson on budget issues, claiming they haven’t even reviewed the budget — Patricia Royal Johnson in District 4, Jimmy Fisher in District 5, Roy Agee in District 8, Dr. Conley Byrd in District 10, Danny Holcomb in District 11, and Ted Harden in District 12. All except Agee, who was absent, voted yes on Robinson’s budget in a special meeting Wednesday. None of those JPs attended Thursday’s community meeting.
JPs Alfred Carroll in District 1, Reginald Adams in District 2, Reginald Johnson in District 3, Cedric Jackson in District 9, and Brenda Bishop Gaddy in District 13 voted no. Margarette Williams in District 6 and Melanie Johnson Dumas in District 7 were absent.
Robinson, in a Wednesday interview, said supplemental appropriations can be made to adjust the budget.
“We presented a budget and they voted it down three times because they want to take care of a few people,” Robinson said. “What about the other 387 people who want raises people, too? What about the other 387 people who want their checks? What about the county that needs money to operate? It is bigger than just a few people.”
Adams said every elected official was made “whole” in the budget he and others who voted down Robinson’s proposal brought to the table.
“We’re trying to do our job,” Adams said. “I don’t understand it. I do not understand it. It’s right in black and white. All (Robinson) has to do is put it on the agenda, and it will pass. I do believe the rest of the JPs want to do right.”
Two members of the sheriff’s office spoke at length about cuts they said they’ll face if Robinson’s proposal is accepted.
“I’m speaking today because the proposed pay cut by Gerald Robinson includes a 25,000-dollar pay cut for me personally,” said Sgt. Johnathan Powell, information technology director. “I’m not one of the 80,000-dollar employees they’ve been talking about. I make way less than that. Losing 25,000 dollars a year would devastate my family. We’d struggle to pay our mortgage, pay for our daycare or meet any other financial obligations.”
Sheriff’s secretary Christy Badgley praised 911 workers who have not left their job despite not being paid. A missed payroll last May 1 resulted in a mass walkout of county employees.
“I’ve been a widow for two years. I’ve got three kids at home, got one in college, one is a senior, and one is a 10th-grader. I’m on one income. One income. I’m not going to take a salary cut. I will lose my job, and I will have to tell my kids, ‘Get rid of your cars.’ I’ll have to get rid of my car, and we’ll have to sell the house because I can’t afford to be let go.”
The lack of a budget in the computer system of County Clerk Shawndra Taggart has resulted in a missed payroll, she said during a Wednesday news conference.
Robinson’s rationale for proposing an increase to his office’s budget, on the other hand, is to adjust lines that went in the negative in past budgets.
“They’re trying to throw numbers out there to you to make it seem like the county judge is doing something illegal, which (I’m) not,” he said of county officials who oppose him. “At the end of the day, it’s the Quorum Court who votes on the budget.”
