NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors approved a $4,300 raise for themselves Tuesday in a split vote.

The supervisors were eligible for the raise after the county’s total assets surpassed $300 million, which occurred last fiscal year.

Board Attorney Scott Slover noticed the change this year and brought it to the supervisors’ attention. The valuation for the county’s assets is approximately $305 million for 2015.

The county’s assets include the total assessment for real and personal property plus the value of all public service corporations and the value of oil and gas at the point of production.

Department of Revenue numbers show Adams County also surpassed the $300 million mark for 2014. Primarily because of oil and gas production valued at nearly $79 million, the county’s assets were valued at $333 million.

Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, Lazarus said that he and County Administrator Joe Murray discussed last year the possibility that the county had surpassed the $300 million mark, but never verified their suspicions with Department of Revenue numbers.

By statute, raises will also be given to the county’s two justice court judges, Patricia Dunmore and Charlie Vess, and Prosecuting Attorney Barrett Martin. The salaries for these positions are tied to what county supervisors make.

Supervisor Angela Hutchins made the motion and Ricky Gray seconded it. Hutchins, Gray and Calvin Butler voted for the raise, while Mike Lazarus and David Carter voted against it.

Carter said he understood why other supervisors would want to take the raise, but he said he ultimately could not justify it.

“This is a job nobody wants,” he said. “You can tell that when you run and nobody runs against you. I guess they figure all the stress isn’t worth it.

“At the same time, I feel horrible taking a raise when we told half the department heads no.”

Hutchins said many department heads have gotten raises over the past three years, while supervisors have gone 10 years without a raise.

“It is not because we have asked for a raise, it is because assessments are up,” Hutchins said. “The supervisors deserve this raise.”

Lazarus also said it was tough for him to justify a raise for himself this year when he has been asking departments to cut.

“We have been telling everyone it is a tough budget year,” he said. “I’m not saying we don’t deserve it, it’s just right now we have been telling everyone no, no, no.”

Gray said where he comes from promotions and raises don’t come every day.

“A promotion comes from God,” he said. “If God wants to give me a promotion, I don’t care who don’t like it.

“I am not going to turn down a promotion because a few in the community don’t like it.”

Gray said he does not feel like the supervisors are doing anything wrong in taking the raise, as state statue has verbiage requiring the salary to be set at the $44,700 level.

“I just don’t believe you need to turn down a blessing,” he said. “I feel like we all deserve it.”

Slover, by state statute, was also eligible for a raise to make as much as supervisors. The board unanimously approved Slover’s $4,300 raise.

Unlike the justice court judges and prosecuting attorney, the board attorney’s salary is eligible to make less than the supervisors. The salary is just capped at what the board makes, Slover said.

Slover said if any of the supervisors were to decline the raise, it would impact their paychecks as retirement input and taxation would be based off the higher salary.

Carter and Lazarus both said they would give the $4,300 to charity. Lazarus said he’s already started in helping fund the costs behind Cathedral School’s Pink Wave Project cancer fundraising event.

“Every dime I’ve ever given to charity has come back to me in some way,” he said.

The raise will go into effect in October. Supervisors, justice court judges, prosecuting attorney and board attorney will go from making $40,400 to $44,700 per year.

The difference is approximately $358 per paycheck before tax and benefits come out.

-The county approved travel for Lazarus and Slover in Washington, D.C., for three nights at a cost of approximately $1,878,

“There is a connection there in Washington now, which is why I am willing to go,” Lazarus said. “If I didn’t think this was doing any good, you can bet Mike would not be going up there.”

-The board accepted Darryl Grennell’s resignation from the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Board of Trustees and the aldermen appointed Natchez-Adams School District Interim Superintendent Fred Butcher to take his place.

Lazarus said the previous superintendent of the district did not want to be a part of the Co-Lin board, but Butcher did.

-The county increased the cost of renting the Kingston Community Center per day from $125 to $150. Of the fee, $50 is a refundable deposit.

-The county awarded an approximately $1.5 million contract to Dozer LLC for a replacement of the Deerfield Road bridge. The project will use Mississippi Department of Transportation bridge funds.