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Barnes |
By DAN TELVOCK
Doug Barnes has held numerous positions with the Spotsylvania County government over the past 32 years.
He directed the Waste Management, General Services and Public Works departments.
He even served as interim county administrator twice before the Board of Supervisors last month appointed him to the top job for at least three years.
And thanks to an increase in his vehicle allowance when he took the county administrator job, Barnes is now among the top 10 highest-paid local government employees in the region, a Free Lance-Star salary survey shows.
Barnes is worth it, said Lynchburg City Manager Kim Payne, who was Spotsylvania's county administrator and worked with Barnes for 17 years.
Payne said he doesn't think the county could pay Barnes enough, based on his experience and commitment.
"Doug is a humble person," said Payne. "He is a person of great humility, and I think he clearly understands the financial challenges the county faces."
When Barnes was officially appointed county administrator, he didn't ask for a raise. He also did not ask for one when he served as interim county administrator in November 2008 and in 2004.
Did he fail at negotiating?
No, Barnes said.
He kept his salary the same to set an example for county employees.
"We are not in normal times," said Barnes, referring to the erratic economy and challenging budget problems. "I have to lead by example. Do I think the job is worth more? Yes. But I couldn't in good conscience take more money if I am not giving anything additional to my employees."
Barnes' base salary is $148,678. His contract states that he gets a 5 percent raise on Nov. 1, 2010, plus any merit raise supervisors reinstate for all employees before that date. He also gets a $500-per-month allowance for vehicle use.
"I just think it is a reasonable amount," Barnes said. "There are people losing their jobs here."
Barnes served as the interim county administrator since November 2008, when Randy Wheeler resigned. Wheeler's base salary was $173,265, plus a $6,000 car allowance.
"THIS IS MY HOME"
After Barnes graduated from Lynchburg College in 1971 with a degree in economics, he worked for his family's furniture chain, C.L. Barnes and Son.
Barnes worked hard to learn everything about the furniture business, a trait he brought to his county jobs over the years.
He moved to the Lake Anna area in 1975 with his wife and four children. He now lives on 12.5 acres between Snell and Post Oak.
In November 1975, Barnes decided to volunteer for the rescue squad after a traumatizing event. His father was sick with cancer and his mother called him to get his dad to a hospital. Barnes said he told the volunteer rescue squad to meet him at Snell as he rushed his dad to meet the medics.
"At that time we only had one rescue squad, and I told them to meet me and I was en route with my dad," Barnes said. "My dad died next to me with his head on my shoulder, right in Snell. Shortly after that, I joined the rescue squad as a volunteer and I served eight years, and as captain for two of those years."
His volunteer service was his first effort at helping the community.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Barnes even ran volunteer rescue calls during regular county business hours with Larry Pritchett, who was the county's finance director. Pritchett is now the county treasurer.
"Larry and I used to walk across the street and get a fire truck and runs calls during work hours if we got toned," he said.
Barnes said he genuinely cares about county residents and he has built very strong friendships here, including with Deputy County Administrator Ernie Pennington.
"This is my home and I am a part of this county," Barnes said. "I feel for people. I am very well rooted in this community."
CLIMBING THE LADDER
In 1977, a friend mentioned to Barnes that the county was hiring a director of waste management to handle the growing number of regulatory changes. Barnes took the job and held it until 1992.
He then helped consolidate government services into a Public Works Department, which he directed until 1997. Then he helped consolidate services into the General Services Department. During those years, he helped with Superfund site cleanups at the Lee Hill landfill, the FMC plant and L.A. Clarke & Son.
He was appointed county administrator last month during the most challenging budget year the county has faced in many decades.
He has found ways to cut more than $30 million from the past two budgets, and he consolidated job duties that saved the county almost $500,000 in salaries and benefits.
"He's got the talent, skills and credentials to handle this," Payne said.
One of Barnes' favorite accomplishments was starting a composting program. The Utilities Department had built a sludge storage building at the landfill. All of the biosolids from the county's sewer plants were stored in the building. Barnes said he tried land application, which spreads the biosolids on farmland as fertilizer.
"It didn't work," he said. "The odor, it is intrusive."
Barnes then came up with the idea of making compost from the sludge and wood chips. The county purchased used equipment, and now the county cannot make enough compost to meet the demand. The idea brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars in new revenue as the compost was sold to farmers, residents and landscapers.
"It worked so well," he said. "We have U.S. Agricultural Grade A compost, which is top-of-the-line stuff."
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
Email: dtelvock@freelancestar.com
Spotsylvania supervisors said they got a good deal when they made Doug Barnes the county administrator. He will be paid about $25,000 less than his For a snapshot of Barnes' contract compared with the contract of his predecessor, Randy Wheeler, see A10. |
| Here is a snapshot of Barnes' contract compared with the contract of his predecessor, Randy Wheeler:
Wheeler's base salary was $173,265. Barnes' base salary is $148,678. Wheeler was provided $5,000 for expenses to move from Fauquier County to Spotsylvania. Barnes lives in the county and did not need relocation expenses. Wheeler's contract was Wheeler received $8,500 each year in deferred compensation, for a total of $42,500 during his term as county administrator. Barnes did not ask for any deferred compensation. Instead, his contract allows for a one-time 100 percent payment for 90 days of his accrued sick leave when he retires. He has nearly 1,800 hours of accrued sick leave. Wheeler received six months of severance pay. Barnes' contract offers four months of severance pay. When it hired Barnes |
