Earlier this week, WZQZ reported that the Chattooga County Board of Education has decided to use Federal money from the CARES Act to give school system employees that worked through the coronavirus pandemic a raise.  WZQZ spoke with Chattooga County officials to see if any of the funds allocated for county government would be used for the same purpose.

Sheriff Mark Schrader said that he had been in talks with Commissioner Blake Elsberry about using part of the funds to give his employees who worked through the pandemic a bonus at the local level.  In September of this year, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp says he will use federal COVID-19 aid to pay $1,000 bonuses to every police officer, sheriff’s deputy, firefighter and emergency medical technician statewide.

Commissioner Elsberry told WZQZ News this week, “We are looking at doing an across the board, one time premium pay for all full time county employees. It is an allowed expenditure per Treasury for the flexible relief funds. No elected officials will receive this premium pay installment. Have not decided on amount or time frame yet.”