County employee Sandy Preston begged commissioners not to “sacrifice her livelihood” after 18 years of service to the county. Preston’s husband is totally disabled and her income is the main means of survival for the couple.

On Monday night, Sandy Preston stood before the Macon County Board of Commissioners and begged for her job. Her voice quavering with emotion and barely intelligible, Preston read a prepared statement to the Board. She explained how on June 15, after more than 18 years of service to the county in various departments, she was told that her position had been eliminated and was given a two-week notice of termination.

“I am standing in front of you tonight asking that my livelihood not be sacrificed,” Preston told the board. “I am sure that my single paycheck does not make or break the county budget, though me not having a paycheck has certainly broken my budget.”

Preston told the commissioners that her income is the main means of survival for her and her husband, who is disabled, and that losing it means losing two-thirds of their household income.

“I am scared to death of losing my home and car, which are paid directly out of my biweekly paycheck,” she said. “I want to work. I do not want to collect unemployment.”

County employees can still participate in COBRA insurance benefits for a year after severance, but Preston said she would not be able to afford it. Though she has worked for the county for 18 years, Preston said she is still not eligible to receive retirement benefits.

“As I understand, I have been replaced with an automated phone system,” she said, “and that rotating personnel from the Mapping and Tax Departments will be covering my full-time position at the front receptionist desk.”

Preston asked the commissioners to explain why her position had been “restructured,” quoting from a letter of termination that she had received from the county:

“It has been determined that it is not in the best economic interest of Macon County to continue the position of Tax Clerk/Receptionist as it is now structured and funding of the position was not recommended nor included in the FY 2010/11 Macon County Budget.”

For more than a year, Preston has been the helpful, smiling face that greeted everyone at the front desk of the County Courthouse Annex Building. Before assuming that position, she worked in the Department of Social Services and then the Building and Grounds Maintenance Department.

Preston told commissioners that the frontline position was critical. She said that she had been selected for the job because she understood the importance of providing “personal, one-on-one service” to the county’s customers. Besides her smile and professional manner, she said that her years of experience had given her an understanding of the workings of the county and its resources that made her uniquely qualified for the position.

Preston said that her termination had come as a particular shock after reading in news reports of the county’s budget negotiations that no county jobs were being cut. Later, County Manager Jack Horton explained to her that the reports had been mistaken, she said.

Commission Chairman Ronnie Beale expressed his sympathies for Preston’s situation and thanked her for her years of service to the county, but he said the ultimate decisions for county staff were left to the county manager.

County Manager Jack Horton told Preston that the decision had been “just a matter of economics,” but he added that she would be considered for future openings in the county if they were critical. During last month’s budget negotiations the county announced a freeze on hiring for all non-essential positions.

“If we do have another position or any positions become vacant during the year that are critical to the operation of the county, we will certainly give her first consideration,” Horton told the board.

Commissioner Jim Davis also expressed his sympathies for Preston’s plight, but added that the county leadership did not take the decision lightly.

“I’ve always appreciated your smile and your willing service,” he said of Preston’s performance in her former position. “You have been a great frontline person at that desk in my experience.”

Commissioner Bobby Kuppers seconded Davis’ opinion. Commissioner Bob Simpson expressed his dislike of automated answering machines.