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On Monday, the Pike County Commission discussed the future of the Achievement Pay program for county employees and adopted the Deferred Retirement Option Plan Act.

It also voted to forward the Pike Chamber of Commerce funding agreement to a later date.

The Achievement Pay program, according to Commissioner Charlie Harris, has overlooked some employees while rewarded others.

The program is used to award pay raises to current county employees who further their education in their field.

Whereas one pay raise was rewarded to an employee at a previous Commission meeting, 10-12 raises were denied tonight, Harris said.

"If you do it for one, you have to do it for all. I propose we grant everybody achievement pay and then get it off the table.

"It’s cheaper to just give the current employees their raises and then abolish the rule. Then we won’t have these problems anymore. We’re just opening a sack of worms," Harris said.

The Commission is working to reorganize the program and to settle its function and purpose.

"That’s really the problem. We’re trying to figure out what the program is," said Harry Sanders, county administrator.

However, Harris wants to see the program wiped out.

The Commission also adopted the DROP Act and it was declared effective June 1.

DROP is a voluntary plan that will allow members of the Employees’ Retirement System to contract with the ERS to defer receipt of their retirement allowance and continue employment for a specific period of time.

According to the Alabama Department of Transportation, employees would be better off participating in the program for five years.

The employee has access to the DROP account when there is a total employment separation from the state.

An excited Mary Jones, owner of Mary’s Delite off Highway 231 in Brundidge, was granted her Beer License so she can now sell alcohol and tobacco in her two-month old store.

"I can finally sell beer and tobacco, and that’s great. It is going to definitely help out my business. This is what I’ve been wanting," Jones said.

Mary’s Delite is also a small grocery and deli store.

The Commission also accepted Johnny Gibson’s resignation from the E-911 Board. Wayne Brooks will replace Gibson immediately.