The final Athens City Council meeting of the year produced good news for future City Council members and the city’s non-union employees.
Members of City Council passed an ordinance officially adopting a fringe benefits package for the city’s non-union employees. This package increases the pay raises of non-union members so that they can stay more consistent with city employees who are union members.
“This is a well deserved increase for the city’s non-union employees,” said Elahu Gosney, D-At Large. “And it is at a time when the city can pay them what they deserve.”
The vote to adopt the fringe benefits package received unanimous support from City Council members.
In addition to the pay-raise ordinance, members of city council voted to increase their own pay for future city council members starting in 2014. The measure will increase their pay by 1 percent.
The council last raised members' salaries in 2004, said Steve Patterson, D-At Large.
City Council members also voted to make appropriations for current expenses and other expenditures for the next fiscal year out of the city’s $33.7 million budget.
Different departments have worked on the budget and appropriations as city revenues have gone up and city expenses have gone down.
There will also be an adjustment in the allocation of revenues from the city income tax.
City Council members will drop the funds that go to the general fund from 74 percent to 73 percent. The additional 1 percent will be used to help fund city transportation.
This will ensure the council members are not required to make special appropriations for transportation at odd times of the year.
There will also be an adjustment in funds allocated to the sewer debt fund.
Council members will lower the funds going to the sewer fund from 27 percent to 25 percent.
“I think it is a good budget for next year,” Mayor Paul Wiehl said. “I haven’t seen any clunkers so far.”
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