In a surprise move during Tuesday’s Baldwin County Commission meeting, commissioners voted 3-1 to terminate the contract of Wilderness Camp and Juvenile Detention Center director Jennifer Lee, effective Sept. 2. Commissioner Chris Elliott brought the motion forward during the latter part of the meeting, saying that due to the leasing of the Wilderness Camp by a private company, it was a move the county should make. “In the consent agenda, we authorized a reduction in force for the Wilderness Camp due to the agreement with Pathway,” Elliott said. “I think it’s appropriate to make sure that reduction is force includes the director as well.” Commissioner Frank Burt said he was surprised by the motion and asked for more time to consider the decision, raising a question about the salary for a newly appointed person if the commission got rid of Lee. “I know we talked about in budget that our appointed directors would have to have a minimum salary of $90,000, so would that be the case here?” Burt questioned. “I sure do wish we had talked about this ahead of time, and I want an opportunity to discuss it again.” Burt was the sole vote against the motion. The commissioners then made a move to hire Ron Ballard as the interim JDC director from Sept. 2 until Sept. 6, when the commission would have a vote to possibly appoint Ballard as the permanent JDC director. The commissioners considered paying Ballard $60,000 per year if appointed to the permanent position. “This move would be a significant reduction in cost for the position since the director would no longer be over Wilderness,” Elliott said. Burt said he was also in favor of the cost-saving move. “I certainly can’t say enough good things about Ron Ballard,” Burt said. “If he’ll do it for $60,000, it’s the taxpayers’ money we’re spending and I’m certainly in favor of that.”