CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Montgomery County Commission unanimously approved to extend premium pay to employees of four county-affiliated organizations at their Monday night regular session.

Employees of Bi-County Waste Management, the Community Corrections Program, the Health Department and the Emergency Communications District (E911) will be able to receive premium pay of up to $10,000 using federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The premium pay equates to an additional $5 per hour for hours worked between March 1, 2020, and Oct. 3, 2021, by employees performing essential duties.

Commissioners voted 20-0 in favor of extending the premium pay, which had already been approved for county employees. Commissioner Larry Rocconi filled in for an absent Mayor Jim Durrett, and as such was unable to vote.

Employees from all four organizations attended Monday’s meeting.

“We’re overjoyed that things went our way. We deserve it, we feel like, and we appreciate all the commissioners that helped us out,” said Don Jones, operations manager at Bi-County.

A series of amendments by District 1 Commissioner John Gannon designate that the ARPA funds are a contribution to these four organizations, whose employees “performed a substantial governmental function, important to the citizens of Montgomery County, TN.”

The funding is being handled as a “contribution” because county leaders have maintained that these agencies are not part of the county work force.

Gannon’s amendment also requires that the organizations return any unused funds to the county within 120 days. Should those organizations receive ARPA funds in the future, they will be required to reimburse Montgomery County for the current round of premium pay.

Correction: A previous version of this article should have said Commissioner Larry Rocconi filled in for an absent Mayor Jim Durrett.