UPDATE: Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson has provided the following statement regarding payroll not being signed:
“We have no problem signing payroll,” said Robinson. “She simply asked for the signed bill as when we get it. Payroll will be signed immediately once obtained.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
Despite Senate Bill 182 being signed into law by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday no paychecks have been issued to Jefferson County employees.
In a video posted by Jonathan Powell on Facebook Rosetta Giddens, the Administrative Assistant for County Judge Gerald Robinson, is shown refusing to sign payroll after the bill was signed into law by the Governor. Giddens is the second in command behind the County Judge, and would be responsible for signing payroll with Robinson being away for a family emergency.
In the video it is stated that Giddens allegedly refused to sign payroll due to not seeing a signed order from the Governor. The video continues to play as Giddens turns off the lights in the office and leaves for the evening.
Senate Bill 182 came to pass due to the failure of the Jefferson County Quorum Court to pass a budget for 2025. County employees have gone without paychecks and vendors have not been paid in over a month due to the ongoing impasse.
