PEA RIDGE — Finances dominated the final City Council meeting of 2009 with council members approving a $3,824,429 budget for the end of the year, giving city employees a three percent cost-of-living raise and two motions concerning pay for council members which both ended in a tie.
With few questions, council members heard a report on the amended budget from Sandy Button, city recorder.
“We just finished it (the amended budget) today. We ran all the reports and tried to get actual figures ... Every department went down,” Button said, explaining that budgeted revenues and expenditures were amended to match actual figures.
Tax receipts - property, real estate and sales - were higher than anticipated.
Other changes in the budget included moving the Mule Jump revenues and expenses out of the Parks Commission’s budget and into City General.
A three percent cost of living increase was approved. John Cody, councilman, made the motion. He said the city could afford a four percent increase but in order to be good stewards, he recommended a three percent increase.
“We have to have these pay increases; one, so the ones who are trained don’t go somewhere else and two, so they can support their families,” Cody said.
“I think we’ve got a pretty good bunch of employees,” Bob Cottingham, councilman, said.
Nadine Telgemeier, council member, asked what was the city’s policy for exemplary employees and was told the city’s handbook provided for merit raises.
Cody also recommended a raise for council members and the planning commission members. At the November meeting, Cottingham had recommended increasing council and planner pay, but the motion was defeated in a tie vote with an abstention from the mayor.
Council members receive $100 per meeting attended.
Planning Commission members receive $75 per meeting attended.
At the Council meeting, Cody recommended increasing the pay by $50 per meeting - half of what was recommended at the November meeting.
“I do believe the office merits compensation,” Cody said. After much discussion, the council cast votes with two voting for the motion and two against. Again, the mayor abstained.
Cottingham then made a motion that the pay for council members be abolished.
City attorney Howard Slinkard questioned the legality of that.
Cottingham said the city needed servant leaders. The motion failed with another tied vote and no tie-breaking vote cast.
In other business, the council:
◊Approved the contract with Howard Slinkard for city attorney. Slinkard has been the city attorney for about 35 years, he said.
There was no change in the rate of pay.
◊Approved the contract for prosecuting attorney with Richard Hardwicke with no salary change.
◊Approved the contract with Trinity Medical Billing for the Ambulance Service.
◊Approved the final plat for Lee Town Estates, on recommendation from the Planning Commission, with six lots ranging from 2.5 acres to 8.5 acres.
◊Appointed Stephanie Kotouc to the Planning Commission to fill the term vacated by Patty Villines.
There are still three years on the term.
◊Appointed Dottie Adriano to the Library Board of Commissioners.
News, Pages 1 on 01/06/2010