Fla. county chairwoman apologizes for ‘jewing’ use

JTA — The chairwoman of a board of commissioners in Franklin County, Fla. said she apologized to those who questioned her for using the word “jewing” to describe salary discussions at a public meeting.

Cheryl Sanders told Jim Romenesko, who runs an eponymous news business blog, that her use of the word at a July 2 meeting had “been blown out of proportion.”

She would not share with Romenesko the email she sent that included the apology, he reported on his blog on Monday.

A July 10 account of the meeting, published on the website ApalachicolaTimes.com, reported that the board of commissioners voted three to two to name Howard Nabors to head the Florida Panhandle county’s roads department.

There followed an argument over whether Nabors deserved a $45,000 salary, which Sanders had proposed. He has 26 years experience with the county, but also lacks a high-school graduation certificate. Nabors currently earns $37,200 with the roads department, although the story did not make clear in what capacity.

Others present argued that there was a need to raise salaries across the board.

“Today’s not the day to do it,” the Times quoted Sanders as saying.

“We’re here [for Nabors’ salary], not to be up here jewing over somebody’s pay. I can’t believe that you all would put a man down who has worked here for 26 years because he don’t have a high school education.”