Quorum Court approves money for widows and caretakers

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By Ray King

The Jefferson County Quorum Court on Monday unanimously adopted an ordinance which will allow the county to compensate eligible widows, widowers, or caretakers of parents who died from COVID-19.

The ordinance said Jefferson County had the first reported COVID case in the state and currently has one of the highest rates of reported cases in the state. A spokeswoman at Jefferson Regional Hospital said Monday there were 35 patients who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, seven more than at the end of last week.

Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson talked to Deltaplex News about the program, which is using money from the American Rescue Act approved by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden.

Robinson said $300,000 has been set aside for payments to those who are eligible and explained how the selection process will work.

Applications can be made to the County Judge’s Office at the courthouse.

Also Monday night, the Quorum Court approved an ordinance that will delete one slot from the County Assessors’ Office and distribute the money that is budgeted for that slot to other employees in the office.

Jefferson County Assessor Yvonne Humphrey explained why she asked for the Quorum Court to take that action.

Because the county is currently under a hiring freeze, Humphrey would not have been able to fill the position which became vacant when an employee did not return from medical leave.