By COLLIN BREAUX
Currently, Holmes County Project Director David Corbin’s salary is $60,000.
County Commissioner Brandon Newsom brought up the potential to give Corbin a raise during a Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 5, though no such action was ultimately taken. County officials in general have frequently and publicly referenced the county’s overall tight budget.
The potential for Corbin to be paid more was placed on the agenda by Newsom after the Board of County Commissioners chose to pay the county building inspector a salary of $105,000, effective after a six-month probationary period, during a Nov. 28 meeting.
“Who’s going to take this position that he holds for $60,000 a year if he wants to leave?” Newsom said. “That’s the question you need to ask yourself. You can do it now and keep a good man here or he may get him enough of this. That’s the facts of the matter.”
“The building inspector has made more than David when he was here before,” County Commissioner Earl Stafford said. “There’s probably some supervisors that made more than David before. I don’t know.”
Commission Chairman Jeff Good said Corbin starts answering emails at 5 a.m. and “is one of the hardest working and most caring people in this county.”
“Everything the commissioners ever give this man, he more than happily does it,” Good said. “The only issue I have, every time we talk about pay raises, we always say there’s a time at the end of the year in the budget–which I know it’s a long way off now–but we always say pay raises should be done at the end of the budget.”
Good said he would have a “hard time” making an exception for “a higher-up right now when we’re applying the same rule to the workers.”
“Does he deserve a pay raise? You’re daggum right he does,” Good said. “This man works so hard but I just would have some concerns because we always harp on that.”
Newsom said the $105,000 paid to the building official wasn’t in the budget.
“That was a new hire,” Good said.
Corbin said he works for the taxpayers of Holmes County and has given “almost five good years” to the county which he’s “helped turn around.”
“I’ve only had three jobs my whole life. County is all I know. Taxpayers is all I know,” Corbin said. “There ain’t nobody sitting in this room that don’t want a raise but I ain’t ask for no raise. I knew what this job was when I took it.”
Corbin, who will be 65 in April, said he “wants to stay here as long as health stays, as long as the Good Lord gives it to me.”
“I love the board that I work for. I’m going to do what they say do, as long as it’s not immoral or illegal,” Corbin said. “I’m going to do the same 110% for you that’s sitting out there tonight, if I can. If I can help you, I’m going to help you.”
There is “no good time, no bad time” for money, Corbin said.
“I’d rather give it to the employees. I’ve got my living made,” Corbin said. “Mr. Newsom, I appreciate your thought and if the board gives it to me, yes sir, yes ma’am, my wife will use it.”
Corbin accepted no raise, though also said he’d “enjoy” one.
“I will say I’ve worked in other counties. I love this county,” Corbin said. “This county is a good county. It’s good people. Good, hardworking, praying people in this county. I do enjoy working in Holmes County. I cut my hair here. I don’t live here. I bank here. I buy groceries here. I love Holmes County.”
GARETT VALCOURT 
Jim Saunders 
Dara Kam 