Image by jimromanesko.com

The chairwoman of a Florida board of commissioners apologized to those who questioned her for using the word “jewing” to describe salary discussions at a public meeting.

Image by jimromanesko.com

Cheryl Sanders, an official in Franklin County, Fla., 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.”

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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 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.”

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