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BENTON CITY: Council OKs some raises |
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Tuesday, 29 April 2008 |
Benton City Council on Monday night gave its official sanction to the 4 percent raises Mayor Rick Holland recently authorized for employees of the street department.
The mayor does not have the authority to give raises to employees, other than department heads, without permission of the council. He previously apologized for his error.
Several of the aldermen were displeased with the mayor’s action, saying they believed the arbitrary raises were not fair. However, all said in a Personnel Committee meeting last week that they did not want to rescind the raises since they were already in place and several commended other city employees who have said they would not want the street department employees to have to give up their additional pay.
The aldermen had hoped to be able to enact a similar wage increases for employees who already had not received raises, but a review of the budget with John Walden, the city’s chief financial officer, determined this is not possible at this time.
Instead, the aldermen, in the committee session, opted to give other employees a $1,000 stipend now and review the city finances in the fall to determine if additional compensation can be given to these employees.
This plan received formal approval from the full council during Monday night’s meeting at Benton Municipal Complex.
Alderman Bill Donnor, who heads the Personnel Committee, reviewed the plan for the council before a vote was taken.
In another employee-related matter, the council approved a resolution authorizing certain former employees to have individual health insurance coverage as a retirement benefit.
City Attorney Brent Houston had recommended that the council restore these benefits for former employees who lost the insurance coverage because of council resolutions enacted in 2003 and 2004.
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, ruling in a lawsuit brought against the city by the AFSCME union versus the city, determined that these resolutions were inappropriate and that the employees coverage by the AFSCME collective bargaining agreement who had passed the probationary period before the expiration of the agreement are entitled to have the city pay the employees’ health insurance at whatever premium payment and coverage the city is providing for active employees.
The new resolution notes that it does not change the city’s March 22, 2004, policy for employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement who have not filed suit within the statutory time frame or who would not otherwise be entitled to coverage under the findings and order of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Also, passage of the latest resolution does not extend benefits to those individuals with whom the city already has settled individual health insurance claims.
In another employee-related matter, the council approved an ordinance amending the personnel policies and practices regarding holiday pay for uniformed police officers and firefighters.
The change makes the city compliant with state law, Alderman Doug Stracener pointed out.
Police officers and firefighters, up to and including the chief, will receive holiday pay equivalent to eight hours’ pay added to the pay period in which a holiday occurs. T be off work on a holiday, non-exempt employees must take a vacation day. Exempt employees will be considered “on duty and working” on holidays, the ordinance states.
In another issue, the council approved an ordinance establishing a flood damage prevention program. It had been on the council agenda for its last meeting, but was pulled from discussion.
The ordinance drew unanimous approval from the 10 council members.
The council had been scheduled to vote on the second reading of an ordinance that removes service stations and travel centers that dispense diesel fuel or commercial vehicles as a permitted use and as a conditional use in the city, but the ordinance was pulled.
Alderman Charles Cunningham, chairman of the council’s Community Services Committee, said the committee plans to review the ordinance further before submitting it for another vote.
The ordinance was voted on two weeks ago following a public hearing in which two local residents, Lloyd Brown and Don White, raised objections to the restrictions it would impose on this type of business. Brown is a local businessman who owns the now unoccupied BP truck stop on the north service road of Interstate 30, and Don White is a former mayoral candidate.
Following the advice of City Attorney Brent Houston, the ordinance was amended. In its original wording, the document had stated that the restrictions would apply to any service station or travel center that ceased operation or ceased dispensing diesel fuel to commercial vehicles for a period of 30 days or longer, but this was modified to 180 days.
Some additional modifications are still possible to the ordinance.
Previously, Alderman Doug Stracener, who heads the council’s Economic Development Committee, and Houston said many criticisms have been raised about businesses like Pilot Truck Stop creating serious traffic congestion and contributing to pollution problems because of the emissions from commercial vehicles while their engines are idling.
In the earlier meeting, Brown and White complained that city officials are trying to discourage legitimate businesses on the one hand while saying they want to promote economic development on the other.
The ordinance, in its current form, would not force Pilot Truck Stop to close, but would not allow another business of its type to open in the city.
On Monday night, the council took the following actions:
•Approved the vacating of a portion of an alley in the Speers addition. No one objected to the action in a public hearing that preceded the council session.
•Approved a mobile home medical hardship renewal from Buddy English at 2602 Social Hill Road.
•Approved an ordinance rezoning properties in the Neeley addition.
•Approved annexing 10.5 acres attached to the Woodlands subdivision, to be known as the Woodlands Chalet, with a planned unit development zoning classification..
•Confirmed the reappointment of Charlie Jones to the city’s Advertising and Promotion Commission.
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