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Regular Council Meeting August 28, 2017 Page 4 Mayor Clifford asked that anyone wishing to speak about this item, to please come forward. Larry Schenk, 3765 Dawn Drive — he spoke in support of the COLA for retirees. He said their whole effort had been directed at a COLA for long term 30-40 year employees whose wages were so low while they worked that their pensions were correspondingly low. Mr. Schenk referenced the city manager's e-mail to Ms. Rose in 2012, and said COLA adjustments had not been considered every budget year. Mr. Schenk asked City Council to consider giving a COLA to retirees, citing there was sufficient money in the general fund, utility funds, and the reserves to do this. Tommy Haynes, 3095 Abbott — he said the City was receiving money from property taxes since 2008, but did not share with retirees through a COLA. He asked Council to look at the fund balance at the end of December and inquired if some of that could be used to fund the COLA. Mr. Haynes said if this was not approved this year, their fear was that it would never happen because the amount would be too great. Charles Whitley, 725 SE 30th — he said he was a police department retiree and when they retired, they were getting a small increase. He asked them to reinstate the COLA. Janine Lauren, 1760 NE 34th — she said if the Council would look at the budget they would see they could reduce the city manager's budget by $200,000 and fund the COLA. Connie Stauter — she said the retirees did not have any leverage except to appeal to the Council's sense of fairness. Ms. Stauter said medicines and utilities continued to increase and asked the Council to consider giving the retirees a COLA. John Godwin said he did not make $300,000 a year. He also said the COLA for retirees was not a bad expense. Mr. Godwin explained that when you put together a budget, you look at everything and that he did look at this. He further explained that if they did not purchase an ambulance this year to pay for this COLA, then next year they would have to purchase two ambulances. Mr. Godwin referenced the years that capital items were deferred and the City got in trouble. He explained two ways to cut the budget, and emphasized he did not think it was a good ideal to pay recurring expenses out of reserves. Mr. Godwin said in the last few months there were four people who retired from the City and then took other jobs, so they were drawing retirement and getting another salary. Mr. Godwin emphasized that a person could retire even at age 40, after 20 years of services. He explained they could not just select a certain group to receive a COLA, because it was not legal. Mr. Godwin said he would do what the Council directed him to do, but that he did not recommend this expense because there were too many items the City needed in way of capital items. Mayor Clifford said if the City had unlimited resources, he would be for doing this but that the City did not have unlimited resources. Council Member Drake wanted to know how much money the City would have at the end of September and Mr. Godwin said he did not know off the top of his head, but we did have reserves. Retiree Tommy Haynes said there was $50