03 Council Min 08-31-04.wpd - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Special Meeting, City Council August 31, 2004 Page 3 On a question from Council, City Attorney Schenk said actions and changes to the budget could be made tonight but they must be published and heard in a public hearing. He gave the different deadlines for those. Mayor Fendley said that Finance Director Anderson was supposed to bring back figures on changing the 1 to 1 match to the 1 to 1 ½ match for the retirement. Finance Director Anderson said Councilman Wilson’s figures had been correct, that it would cost the budget $140,000.00. He said there would be an additional adjustment of about $13,000.00 for the garage because the garage was not in the original budget. Councilman Bell questioned if there was also going to be a freeze in the step raise. Councilman Wilson said he would like to leave the step pay in and cut the budget elsewhere. He explained different possible cuts and said the City could keep the surplus from those and put the retirement back to the 1 to 1 ½ match. Councilwoman Fisher asked if there was a possibility of putting the match back to 2 to 1. Councilman Wilson indicated that would cost too much. Finance Director Anderson explained that the Fire Department could contribute as much as they wanted to retirement because of Civil Service laws if they voted and agreed on the amount, but the City’s match would be the same for all employees. He said the TMRS employees could only contribute the percentage set by the Council, 5%, 6% or 7%. Mayor Fendley asked Police Chief Karl Louis if he would rather see more money in his department for wages or for retirement. Chief Louis said he always wanted more money for his officers, but at the moment, he was 3 officers short and had the possibility of 5 getting called up for active duty. He felt it wouldn’t be safe to do without those officers. Councilman Wilson talked about the possibility of moving officers around.