Editor’s Note: Crooked politicians have a habit of telling one group of people one thing and other groups of people something entirely different. It’s called “lying.” “Tell them what they want to hear, get elected, then do what you want!” Is an old and trademarked campaign strategy of the Cleveland County GOP. Robert A. Williams, a Registered Republican, filed his Campaign Organization documentation this past Wednesday, to run for the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners in the 2024 Elections. Robert A stands apart from the CC GOP method. He tells it like it is, no matter who is listening. Is it any wonder why crooked politicians hate for Robert A to sign up for Public Participation at their meetings and catch them in their many lies and deceptions?

A Public Hearing was held regarding a Cleveland County Economic Development Project called Project Sunrise at the August 1, 2023 Commissioner’s Meeting. Robert A had signed up to speak at that Public Hearing. Scroll on back to Robert A’s article published on August 5, 2023 for more details in Robert A’s article titled CC Commissioners giveaway $3,540,000 on Project Sunrise.

In that Public Hearing Presentation, it was noted that Project Sunrise would add 134 new jobs into Cleveland County at an average wage of $22 per hour. Although the Commissioners were bragging that $22 per hour was a GOOD wage to justify giving away $3.54 Million$ to a Chinese Company, public records show that $22 per hour is an AVERAGE WAGE in Cleveland County. NOT a GOOD wage as the Commissioners claimed. And lots of Cleveland County taxpayers make much less than that. And the Commissioners still give away $3.54 million to a Chinese Company. Remember, $22 per hour relates to $45,760 per year working 40-hour week times 52 weeks.

So, when this Shelby Star article-probably a Press Release prepared by the Sheriff’s Department-comes out about a jail employee (a Corporal, 34-with five years on the job experience), being charged with having sex with an inmate and other less serious crimes, the Star/Sheriff’s Office accidently releases the following additional information that was not directly related to the criminal acts.

According to county personnel records, Dover was hired as a detention officer on Sept. 1, 2018 and was promoted to the rank of detention corporal on Aug. 22, 2023.

Her salary was $58,406 which was an increase of 6% from $55,100.

According to records, during her tenure with the Sheriff’s Office Dover received corrective actions on Sept. 23, 2020 for conduct toward citizens/employees, Nov. 12, 2020 for general conduct and Dec. 2, 2020 for insubordination. None of the corrective actions resulted in a reduction of rank or salary.

 This information calculates down to this:

$58,486 per year is the salary that the 5-year Corporal in the CC Jail makes

-$45,760 per year is the average wage of the Average CC worker

=$12,626 per year more than the average CC Worker makes

 

So, why is the average worker in Cleveland County NOT beating down the doors of the Cleveland County Human Resources Office looking for a job at the Sheriff’s Office?? Or the jail, anyway??? Is it because the Sheriff’s Office jobs are more dangerous or what??? And why are the Sheriff’s Office personnel complaining all the time about low pay???

But Robert A’s questioning attitude has just started to kick in. What about teacher pay?? They (or, at least the NCEA) are also complaining all the time about low pay. So, Robert A starts researching Cleveland County Teacher Pay!

Since CCS Superintendent Stephen Fisher refuses to provide CCS/teacher pay information to Robert A, it appears that Supt. Fisher has something to hide. Probably because CCS School Board Chairman Robert Queen and his group of Waterboys Joel Shores, Ron Humphries, Rodney Fitch, Greg Taylor, and Walter Scott Spurling) keep on giving Supt. Fisher pay raises and contract extensions. However, Robert A estimates Supt. Fishers pay and other allowances now exceed $250,000. But we will get back to that a bit later.

Robert A “Googles North Carolina Teacher Pay” and found some interesting information. Like this:

Teachers, school administrators, and non-teaching positions in NC school districts (LEAs) are employed by local boards of education but are paid on a state salary schedule based on a number of factors. In addition to the state salary, a local supplement may be provided by the school district.

 And this:

Some public school employees may also receive compensation, or longevity pay, for continuing service. Independent Public Schools (IPS – charter schools, lab schools, and regional schools) may follow the state salary schedules or determine their own.

 Other information was more specific, actually too specific. It seems like the NEA (National Education Associate), a teacher’s advocacy group, a Labor Union? says teacher pay in NC is $10,000 below the national average. So, their info is probably lowballed. After looking through all the mess, an independent group called Glassdoor gave the following salary range:

Starting Pay (Average), $35,000

25+ years’ experience (Average) $56,000

 

So, Let’s make the comparison:

 

CC Sheriff’s Office Corporal Jessica Lynn Dover with 5 years experience: $58,486

 

Average Cleveland County Manufacturing Wage:  $45,760

 

Average Teacher Pay in NC with 25 years experience $56,000

Average Teacher Pay in NC-Starting Pay  $35,000

CCS Superintendent Stephen Fisher $250,000

Additional source information:

Information just received by Robert A alleges the Fired and Charged former CC Detention Center Corporal, 34 year-old Jessica Lynn Dover’s Jail Annex “nick-name” was Barbie. She was a “popular known whore,” that “she definitely slept her way to promotion” and will “retribute” an inmate she is angry at.” The source also stated a belief that a former detention center inmate named Chris Cody, who allegedly hung himself in the CC jail in 2017 (Before Barbie?) was actually murdered.

Conclusions:

1. The reported salary of the Detention Center Corporal Jessica “Barbie” Dover is definitely much higher than the average Cleveland County Manufacturing wage as well as significantly higher than CCS teacher starting salary. Only teachers with 25+ years or more experience come close to ”Barbie’s” base salary. However, it should be noted that teachers only work around 10 months per year while Schools are in session. Therefore, if the teacher’s hourly rate is calculated for the time actually worked by teachers, their hourly rate would be higher. But nothing close to Barbie.
2. The allegation that Barbie Dover “slept her way to promotion” could indeed explain her high salary. This is NOT an unheard-of situation. Even here in Cleveland County. It would also fit the pattern of “overkill” in the criminal charges when such a situation is about to be exposed and those involved are attempting to cover up the situation. Also, note that the head officer over the Detention Center is presently alleged to be cast out of his marital home and living in a camper trailer near Polkville over an extramarital romance that started on a Pickleball Court. Serious and sometimes multiple lapses of judgment can occur in strange places. And not only in the Sheriff’s Office. Over the years similar sex scandals have hit the CC Health Department, Cleveland Community College, DSS, CCS, Communities-in-Schools, the 27-B Judicial District (Lawyers AND Judges), the Commissioner’s Offices, and the NC General Assembly (one of the latest being our very own Speaker of the House, Tim Moore). Nope, this explanation cannot be discounted. Actually, from the examples noted above, it is highly likely to be the actual reason.
3. The disparity of salaries at Cleveland County Schools is a clear indication that CCS pay is clearly top-heavy. Supt. Stephen Fisher is not the only CCS employee with way-high salaries concentrated at the top and way too low salaries at the bottom.

 

Editor’s Note: The “Development” and “scope” of this article remind Robert A that:

1. When HE is elected to the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners in 2024; NO Person or Employee is hired or promoted by sleeping their way into higher pay or position. And, when caught, both guilty parties are appropriately punished. No exceptions. No turning of heads. Everybody is accountable for their own actions.
2. When HE is elected to the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners in 2024 the pay disparity and top-heavy management at CCS and elsewhere will be looked at closely and fairly realigned. Also, a good part of any overall savings will go into fairly managed high-performance-based cash bonus programs for CCS and County employees.

 

Stay tuned folks, the 2024 Elections are super-important and Robert A, when elected Commissioner, intends to make the changes that are long overdue. We plan to Take Back Cleveland County for the citizens & taxpayers and Make Cleveland County Great Again!!!