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ZEBULON - Pike County Times has obtained more information on the rehiring of Planning and Development Director Jeremy Gilbert. Gilbert resigned from Pike County on February 13 to work for Spalding County with notification to Pike County that March 10 would be his final day of service.

Gilbert signed an offer (see note in blue below for and explanation of the wording from "contract" to "offer") to work with Spalding County for $82,511 but an emailed resignation to Spalding on the day before the March 8 Pike County Commission Meeting advised that “Pike County has offered me something to stay that I cannot pass on the opportunity.”

It took almost a month to obtain Gilbert’s rate of pay and job position, but that information is finally available.

There is no paperwork that shows Gilbert’s actual return to Pike County as the Planning and Development Director. However, according to an Employee Wage Information Sheet filled out by County Manager Brandon Rogers on March 27, 2023, Gilbert was hired as the Planning and Development Director for Pike County, his annual salary is $85,000, and his rate of pay is back dated to begin on March 13, 2023. This is the date that he began attending budget discussions with Pike County department heads and elected officers and was introduced as the Assistant County Manager by CM Rogers.

This Employee Wage Information Sheet has no mention of Gilbert’s being hired as the Assistant County Manager—which is not in Pike County’s ordinances, and there is nothing that shows Gilbert’s suggested or official duties outside of his Planning and Zoning Director responsibilities. pikecountytimes.com/secondary/gilbert4.3.23.pdf

[Note from the Editor added 4.3.23 at 10 p.m.: Planning and Zoning Director Jeremy Gilbert pointed out to Pike County Times this evening on social media that he signed an "offer" to work for Spalding County and not a "contract" as was previously reported. Looking back at the signed letter dated 2.15.23, it does indeed use the word "offer" and is not a "contract" as is previously reported. Pike County Times regrets the error. Pike County Times has asked for a clarification from the county attorney as to whether paperwork for rehiring is necessary since Gilbert was working through the last of his notice when he sent a email to Spalding notifying that he was staying in Pike. The fact remains that his new pay had nothing in writing until March 27, 2023 (almost 3 weeks after he accepted an offer to stay in the county), and nothing has been provided per open records request on his new responsibilities, etc.]

Gilbert’s annual pay of $85,000 is about $2,150 less than current County Manager Brandon Rogers. Rogers makes $87,149.92 per year at this time.

Pike County Times Editor Becky Watts spoke at the last County Commission Meeting regarding this lack of written information on Gilbert’s return to service, a lack of communication in the county as well as a lack of leadership by the County Manager and a lack of respect from CM Rogers for individual commissioners and the County Commission as a whole.

A link to Watts’ speech from the past County Commission Meeting is available on Pike County Times. This article also includes a link to CM Rogers’ 2022 annual evaluation by commissioners as well as the numerous issues that have occurred between CM Rogers and department heads since 2021. pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BREAKINGNEWSrogers3.29.23.html

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