Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 12-18-1990 Special — reading text

163 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA DECEMBER 18, 1990 I NI'RODUCT ION A special meeting of City Council of Fort Walton the Beach, Florida, was held Tuesday, December 18. 1990, on I at the 4: 30 p. m., following Mayor William J. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, with members present: Roberts, III Councilmen: J. C. " Buck" Smith Sidney Rosenbaum David deVaux ( arrived at 4: 36 p. m.) James Wyatt C. Thomas Maney Nick Nicholson Cissy Wyninegar Also Present: Chuck Manager; Helen Keeler, City Spencer, City Jerry Clerk; City Attorney; Miller, Charles Evans, Finance Director; Department Heads; Media CALL TO ORDER The Mayor called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. requested anyone from the public who He wished to address Council to approach the podium after being recognized by the Chair, then state their name and address for the record. INVOCATION & PLEDGE Mayor Roberts gave the invocation and led in the Pledge of Allegiance. SALARIES FREEZE & The Mayor announced the agenda item for this Special HIRING MORATORIUM Meeting is a salaries freeze and hiring moratorium. He then turned the floor over to the City Manager. The City Manager read a written statement concerning his recommendation on the salary freeze and hiring moratorium, as follows: During the December 11, 1990 meeting. a motionCouncil was made to freeze salaries place a moratorium on and hiring. The motion was not voted upon and a Special Council meeting was scheduled for today. It is my I recommendation that no action be taken by Council on either the salary freeze or hiring moratorium based on the following: During the months of September, Workshops, August and Special. and Regularmeetings were conducted Council during which the 90/ 91 budget was discussed - including pay and manning. Decisions were made and a budget was adopted. 164 12- 18- 90 SALARIES ( CONT.) Included in the adopted budget wasfunding for the normal merit pay system. After deducting $ 203, 300 from salaries, the guidance I received from Council was that I had the authority to authorize wage increases; as long as the budget was not exceeded and that this authority included all City employees. Pay changes are scheduled to take place in two weeks. unless cancelled by Council action. Employees have been going through the process of being evaluated and counseled, based on job performance. This includes supervisory personnel informing employees how they have been rated which in turn determines pay raises. If a freeze is approved, the savings in salaries realized in this year' s budget would be approximately $ 195, 000. I believe $ 195, 000 is a reasonable expenditure, ~ specially during a year when the C. P. I. increase is 6. 3%. It is also significant to me that the end of period cash balance for FY 1989/ 90 General Fund is $ 6, 182, 000, which is $ 41, 000 (. 003%) above what was estimated months ago. As for a moratorium on hiring; each position in this City that becomes vacant is evaluated prior to being filled. In many functions, when an employee is on vacation or not present for other reasons, the slot is either handled by another employee or we do without. The Task Force investigate both the revenue concept to and expenditure thesides City' s of finances is important and should be accomplished with the future in mind. I doubt if it is really the charter of the Task Force to rebuild the current budget. The City Manager said there is $ 6, 000, 000 cash balance from the General Fund last fiscal year. and in the Water and Sewer Fund there is approximately $ 2, 000, 000 in each; sothey talking are in round figures roughly about 10, 000, 000; and what he is saying is, do not over react on this years budget; get together, do the work, find out how to cut expenditures. how to increase revenue, and proceed for the future. He concluded by saying on behalf of every person who works for this City. whether or not a pay increase is approved, he would like to take this opportunity to wish all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Mr. Smith aoved that Council not take any action. and to leave it as it ( salaries & hiring) was presented and approved in Septeaber. Motion was seconded by Mrs. Wyninegar. In response to the question on whether a motion was appropriate for Council not to take action, the City Attorney said if Council wanted to do it to clear the air. they could; but technically it is not required.  12- 18- 90 165 SALARIES ( CONT.) Jim Kitchens. 195 Brooks Street, asked for an explanation of the motion. The Mayor explained the motion is to proceed as it was approved in the budget, not to place a hiring freeze & a wage freeze. Mr. Rosenbaum said he tock the liberty of asking Mr. Larry Reeder to be present to explain the City' s status, and if I asked it would be out of order to ask Mr. Reeder to speak. Discussion followed on whether the informa tion Mr. Reeder would present dealt with the issue at hand this evening. or whether he should be invited to return to a workshop meeting to explain what Council needs to do in order to address the budget for the next fiscal year. Mr. deVaux arrived at 4: 36 p. m. Following further discussion on whether or not Mr. Reeder' s information would be pertinent to the issue at