By Billy Davis

A Panola County board order from 2009 shows the county administrator’s annual salary remains unchanged from the previous fiscal year.

The Panolian retrieved a copy of board orders from 2008 and 2009 after fielding a phone call October 5 suggesting that Kelley Magee had quietly enjoyed a $6,000 raise.

Magee denied the pay raise when reached by a reporter, a claim backed up by the public documents.

“I would never ask for a raise when the county employees didn’t get one,” said Magee, who makes $90,000 annually as the county administrator.

Panola County employees began a new fiscal year, on October 1, without a raise due to budget constraints, marking the second year without a salary increase.

The board orders, which are public record, are filed October 1 to spread on the minutes the salaries of county employees.

The 2008 and 2009 board orders show Magee’s monthly salary, $7,500, remains unchanged.

Magee’s salary is the highest among county employees followed by salaries for sheriff, road manager, and sheriff’s chief deputy respectively.

Except for sheriff, the salaries of elected county officials are not included in the public documents.