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GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. WE'RE GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. COUNCIL MEMBER.
MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. PRESENT. VICE MAYOR.
HILL HERE. MAYOR. PARA. SO YOU HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. THE SPECIAL MEETING. WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO OUR SPECIAL MEETING ON TODAY. WE'LL OPEN UP WITH A WORD OF PRAYER. ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, ONCE AGAIN WE COME BEFORE YOU GIVING YOUR NAME, HONOR, PRAISE, AND GLORY. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF THE DAY. NOW, LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU MOVE ON OUR HEARTS, OUR MINDS AND OUR CONSCIENCE AS WE DO THE BUSINESS OF THIS CITY. HEAVENLY FATHER, LETTING US DO THOSE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING IN THY SIGHT. NOW, LORD, WE ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON THOSE WHO ARE OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR EMS, OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE ONE LITTLE BRAVE SOUL, HEAVENLY FATHER, THAT WENT IN AND SAVED HIS ENTIRE FAMILY ON TODAY FROM A FIRE. LORD, WE ASK THAT BLESSINGS UPON THAT THAT THAT FAMILY THAT HAS LOST THEIR HOME. HEAVENLY FATHER, THAT YOU WILL MAKE A WAY THAT ONLY YOU CAN MAKE. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR HIM BEING A GUARDIAN ANGEL TO HIS FAMILY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE FIREMEN AND EMS THAT ATTENDED TO THEM. LORD, IT'S GOOD WHEN A COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER TO HELP ONE ANOTHER. NOW, LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THIS MEETING IN A SPECIAL WAY. BLESS OUR MAYOR AS HE'S ON HIS WAY. BLESS COUNCILMAN JONES, HEAVENLY FATHER, AND BLESS COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK AS HE'S ABROAD. IT'S IN JESUS NAME. WE PRAY AND WE THANK YOU. AMEN. AMEN. LET US STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. ITEM FIVE A OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING. PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE
[5.a. A Public Hearing for the Consideration of an Ordinance to Appropriate Funding for the Sports Training Facility (Fieldhouse) at Petersburg High School in the Amount of $300,000]
CONSIDERATION OF THE ORDINANCE TO APPROPRIATE FUNDING FOR THE SPORTS TRAINING FACILITY. FIELD HOUSE AT PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE AMOUNT OF $300,000 PAGES TWO THROUGH THREE. GOOD AFTERNOON. GARY COZIER, BUDGET MANAGER. SO THIS ITEM IS TO APPROPRIATE $300,000, AS IT SAYS THERE, PURSUANT TO THE MOU, THAT THE CITY HAS ON FILE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE STADIUM ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE. YEAH, THAT THAT'S THAT'S REALLY IT. THE ASK IS 300,000. AND IT WILL COME FROM THE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THIS FROM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. AND THIS WOULD FULFILL OUR FULL COMMITMENT OF THE 2.7 MILLION. CORRECT. CORRECT. THIS WILL BRING US TO THAT FULL COMMITMENT OF 2.7 PURSUANT TO THE MOU. THANK YOU. MISTER. OUR CITY ATTORNEY, DO I OPEN UP THE FLOOR? I WILL OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.MISS BARB RUDOLPH. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR HILL. WELL, I'M NOT UNDER ANY ILLUSION THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE PASSED, SO I'M NOT GOING TO MOUNT A HUGE ARGUMENT ABOUT IT. BUT I THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING A RESOLUTION THAT YOU HAVE NOW. YOU WE, THE CITY HAVE NOW CONTRIBUTED THE ENTIRE AMOUNT THAT WE COMMITTED TO, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT WE COMMITTED TO, WHICH IS 2.7 MILLION, HALF OF THE 5.4 MILLION ESTIMATED PROJECT COST. I JUST THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO PUT THAT IN WRITING, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD PAST PROJECTS LIKE THIS LOVELY ROOM THAT WE'RE IN, WHICH AT VARIOUS TIMES WE WERE TOLD THAT WOULD BE SUPPORTED THROUGH RAISING MONEY FROM PRIVATE SOURCES. AND THAT DIDN'T COME THROUGH. SO THE CITY KEPT PUTTING IN MORE MONEY. AND I THINK, I THINK A WRITTEN COMMITMENT THAT YOU'VE NOW FULFILLED EVERYTHING THAT POSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD DO FOR THIS FIELDHOUSE WOULD BE A VERY POSITIVE GESTURE ON THE PART OF CITY COUNCIL AND CITY ADMINISTRATION. REMEMBER, YOU STILL, BRUCE SMITH MAY STILL BE OUT THERE WITH THAT $3.5 MILLION THAT HE COULDN'T BRING FORTH IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR. SO YOU NEVER KNOW SOMEBODY SOMEBODY'S GOT TO STEP UP OUTSIDE OF THE
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CITY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROJECT SINCE IT'S ALL IT'S ALL BEEN SOLD TO US AS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE WILL TAKE THAT UNDER ADVISEMENT. MISS RUDOLPH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANY OTHER? CONSIDER IT CLOSED. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT SMITH LEE. OKAY. I MOVE THAT WE APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS FOR THE SPORTS TRAINING FACILITY FIELDHOUSE AT PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,000. COUNCILMAN MYERS SECOND. BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND, THAT WE FUND THE SCHOOL WHERE THE FOR THE FIELDHOUSE AND THE AMOUNT OF $300,000. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES.[6.a. Consideration of the Approval of the Proposed City of Petersburg FY26 Operating Budget]
SO MOVED. ITEM NUMBER SIX, A UNFINISHED BUSINESS CONSIDERATION OF THE APPROVED OF THE PROPOSED CITY OF PETERSBURG. FY 2026 OPERATING BUDGET, PAGES FOUR THROUGH 26. OKAY, GARY COZIER AGAIN, BUDGET MANAGER. THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE LAST REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING AND WAS TABLED UNTIL THIS MEETING. SO WE HAVE THE BUDGET HERE BALANCED AT. $144,338,153 ACROSS ALL FUNDS. I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. WE'VE ALREADY HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET? COUNCILMAN CUTLER YES, THANK YOU, MR. VICE MAYOR. MR. CUTLER, COULD YOU BRING YOUR MIC A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE? THANK YOU. WAS THE MOTION TO ADOPT PAGES ONE THROUGH 26? IS THAT RIGHT? NO, NO, IT WAS NOT A MOTION. WE IT WASN'T EMOTION YET. WE HAVE A MOTION ON IT YET. OH OKAY. WE'RE JUST DOING COMMENTS RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT. WELL I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE LINE ITEM ON PAGE 77. CLASS AND COMP STUDY IMPLEMENTATION $3 MILLION. WHAT PAGE YOU SAY AGAIN 7777. YES. OKAY. WELL ARE YOU LOOKING IN THE BUDGET? YEAH, YEAH. LOOKING IN THE BUDGET. THE BUDGET BOOK GARY ANTHONY OKAY. GO AHEAD COUNCILMAN. GO AHEAD AND TALK.SO THERE'S A $3 MILLION LINE ITEM IS IN NON-DEPARTMENTAL. BUT IN FACT IT'S ALL DEPARTMENTAL.
AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO BE DIVIDED AMONG THE DEPARTMENTS. AND I'M I'M NOT PREPARED TO VOTE TO SUPPORT A, A BUDGET WHERE THERE'S NO MORE DISCLOSURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON THAN, THAN THIS BUDGET GIVES US. I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK TRANSPARENCY, BUT WE GET THE OPPOSITE. I MEAN, HOW MUCH OF THAT 3 MILLION IS GOING TO THE POLICE? HOW MUCH OF THAT 3 MILLION IS GOING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? HOW MUCH OF THAT 3 MILLION IS GOING TO ANY OF THE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS? COUNCIL DOESN'T KNOW. AND YET THIS IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT DECISION FOR COUNCIL TO MAKE. WE'VE BEEN HEARING FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT HOW. WE NEED TO. RETAIN, ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALIFIED CITY EMPLOYEES. AND I TOTALLY AGREE. AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE $3 MILLION TOTAL, BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M DOING MY JOB AS A MEMBER OF COUNCIL IF I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT $3 MILLION IS BEING. SPREAD AROUND THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. MR. CARTER, IF I MAY, COUNCILMAN COPELAND, CAN I YIELD TO THE CITY MANAGER SO HE CAN KIND OF SHED SOME LIGHT ON IT, PLEASE? SO WHAT WE'VE DONE, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR WITH THE PAY
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INCREASE, WE PLACED IT IN A SINGLE LINE ITEM. THAT WAY, IF THERE'S ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE MADE BY COUNCIL, LIKE WHEN WE DO THE BUDGET LAST YEAR, WE HAD THE 5% OR THE 10%. IF YOU REDUCE THAT, THEN WE ARE IN A POSITION. SO WHAT WE DO NOT ALLOW IS WE DON'T GO IN AND PUT MONEY IN SALARY AND BENEFITS IN EACH BUDGET, EACH DEPARTMENT. WE HOLD THAT ITEM AS A SINGLE, SINGLE LINE UNTIL THE DEPARTMENT THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED. AND THEN WE DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS ACCORDINGLY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL DO AGAIN HERE TODAY. IF COUNCIL APPROVES THE BUDGET, WE'VE GOT THE CLASS AND COMP STUDY. WE WILL I'VE GOT A REQUEST. WE'LL SHARE THAT OUT WITH COUNCIL. WE HAVE NOT HAD INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH EMPLOYEES AS OF YET, SO THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT INCREASE OR WHAT THEY MAY BE GETTING. SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF HESITANCY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR OUT IN FRONT OF THAT. AND I UNDERSTAND THE COUNCIL'S CONCERN, BUT WE PUT THOSE ITEMS IN A SINGLE LINE ITEM, AND ONCE THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED, WE THEN DISTRIBUTE IT TO THE DEPARTMENTS ACCORDING TO THE PLAN AND AS, AS AS ACCORDANCE WITH THAT PLAN. SO WHAT I'M HEARING, COUNCILMAN COUPLER, IF WE APPROVE THIS BUDGET, WOULD YOU BE. IF THE CITY ADMINISTRATION COME TO US AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ONCE WE GET PAST AND THIS IS WHERE THE NEED IS, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? YOU KNOW, THEM TELLING US WHERE THE 3 MILLION WOULD BE USED AND WHO WOULD GET WHAT AND WHEN BECAUSE AS OPPOSED RIGHT NOW, I GUESS THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO COVER IT RIGHT NOW. SO WE CAN HAVE HAVE THE MONEY IN THE COFFERS AT THIS TIME, IF I'M MAKING ANY SENSE. COUNCILMAN COPELAND. YEAH, I HEAR YOU. I THINK THE PUBLIC ALSO, THOUGH, OUGHT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO. HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THE ALLOCATION OF THE $3 MILLION. I MEAN, THE WE'RE ALL IN THE DARK RIGHT NOW. THE PUBLIC KNOWS AS LITTLE ABOUT THIS AS COUNCIL DOES, IF I MAY. I THINK ON PAGE 22. IT'S A DIFFERENT PRESENTATION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STUDY WILL BE SHARED WITH COUNCIL ONCE IT'S FINALIZED. SO YOU WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW EVERYTHING THAT'S INCORPORATED IN THERE. WELL, MR. ALLMAN, WHY WAS THIS INFORMATION NOT GIVEN TO US UPFRONT IF WE'RE GOING TO? GET IT EVENTUALLY? ANYWAY? I THINK THE. YEAH. SO I THINK WHAT MR. CUTHBERT IS ASKING IS THE STUDY ITSELF AND WHY THAT WASN'T. AND THE STUDY GETS INTO HOW INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS ARE GETTING JUST WE HAVEN'T HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.SO WHAT WE TRIED TO DO HERE IS WE KNOW THE COST OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM.
WE PROVIDED THAT WITHIN THE BUDGET, AND WE WANT TO HAVE OUR MEETINGS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF STAFF SO THEY UNDERSTAND BEFORE IT BECOMES REALLY OUT IN THE PUBLIC. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. AND THAT'S WHY WE PUT THE $3 MILLION IN THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL IN ORDER TO ADOPT THE BUDGET. WE HAVE THE FUNDING THERE TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN. THEN WE WILL ROLL THAT OUT WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND WE'LL PROVIDE COPIES OF THAT TO COUNCIL. WELL, MR. ALLMAN, THANK YOU. BUT WHY WAS THAT NOT DONE UPFRONT? WELL, WE NEED TO WE HAVE TO ONCE THE ONCE THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED AND THEN WE HAVE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL, THEN WE'RE THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HAVING THOSE MEETINGS WITH STAFF, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU CAN'T HAVE THOSE MEETINGS WITH THEM IF THE MONEY IS NOT THERE. IF WE HADN'T APPROVED IT. RIGHT. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? IT'S LIKE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, SO TO SPEAK. I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T TELL DEPARTMENT HEADS YOU'RE GOING TO GET THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND THEN WE AS COUNCIL SAY, NO, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT.
AND THEN IT'S LIKE, SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY THERE AND THEN APPROVE THE MONEY. AND THEN THE ADMINISTRATION CAN, CAN, CAN COME BACK TO US AND LET US KNOW, OKAY, THE MONEY IS APPROVED AND THEN WE CAN GO TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. IF I'M, IF, IF I'M MAKING SENSE, I THINK I AM. AND I AND COUNCILOR CUTHBERT AND I HAD THIS CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY AND I UNDERSTAND HIS POSITION ON IT AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH SOME OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. THERE WASN'T A CONCERN OR A NEED TO KNOW THE DETAILS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
IN THE PROCESS, I UNDERSTAND COUNCILOR CUTHBERT WOULD PREFER TO HAVE THOSE DETAILS, UNDERSTAND THAT AND RESPECT THAT COMPLETELY. SO WE'RE JUST MOVED ALONG WITH WHAT WE FELT WAS THE
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MAJORITY CONSENSUS OF COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROCESS, AND HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF IMPLEMENTING THE CLASS AND COMP TO GETTING US MORE COMPETITIVE WITH SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS AN OVERSTEP ON MY PART. I APOLOGIZE TO COUNCIL FOR THAT. NO, I WANT TO OVERSTEP. NO, NO IT WASN'T. WELL, COUNCIL TO MY QUESTION WHY WHY WAS WHY WAS THIS PROPOSAL NOT INCLUDED ON A DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT BASIS IN THE BUDGET, MR. ALTMAN, WE JUST LOOKED AT THE PROVIDING THE LUMP SUM FUND. WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT PROVIDING A BREAKDOWN WITHIN THAT NON-DEPARTMENTAL BY DEPARTMENT WITH THOSE WITH THOSE INCREASES WOULD BE WE YOU KNOW, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT. WE WERE LOOKING AT MORE OF THE ABILITY TO FUND THE IMPLEMENTATION AS A WHOLE, NOT THE DEPARTMENT. THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTAL INFORMATION. WELL, LET'S LET'S ASSUME THAT WE DO IT THIS WAY. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KNOW WHETHER A DEPARTMENT IS STAYING WITHIN ITS BUDGET? IF THE DEPARTMENT, THE FULL DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET IS NOT BEFORE COUNCIL? SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WHEN COUNCIL ADOPTS THE BUDGET, THOSE DOLLARS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO DEPARTMENTS BASED ON WHAT THE ALLOCATION IS IN THE PLAN, FOR THOSE BASED ON THOSE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES AND HOW THEY MOVE TO THE NEW GREAT NEW NEW STEP IN THEIR IN THE NEW GRADE AND THE NEW STEP WITHIN THAT GRADE TO DEAL WITH BRINGING YOU TO THE NEW PAY PLAN AND TO DEAL WITH COMPRESSION. SO THOSE THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO BE BROKEN DOWN AND PROVIDED TO THE DEPARTMENTS IN THAT AMOUNT. SO WE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE THEM MORE THAN THEY NEED. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLAN. SO THEY WON'T BE GOING OVER BUDGET. AND THEN TO ADD ON TO THAT, WE'RE DOING MONTHLY BUDGET TO ACTUAL. SO WE'RE MONITORING THAT AS, AS AFTER THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED AND IT STARTS ON JULY THE 1ST, WE WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING THE BUDGET FOR THINGS LIKE THAT. COUNCILMAN MYERS.YES, SIR. MR. VICE MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE PROPOSED. WE APPROVE THE PROPOSED BUDGET FY 26 OPERATING BUDGET. COUNCILMAN WE APPROVE THE PROPOSED CITY OF PETERSBURG FY 2026 OPERATING BUDGET. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MR. VICE MAYOR, I WANT TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION. I'D LIKE TO TABLE THIS UNTIL THE CITY MANAGER GIVES COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC. INFORMATION AS TO HOW THE $3 MILLION IS TO BE ALLOCATED AMONG THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. I THINK WE NEED THAT INFORMATION AS PART OF THE TOTAL PICTURE THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE. IT MAY BE THAT, WELL, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE THAT WE TABLE TO. MR. VICE MAYOR. CAN WE HAVE MORE DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE I KNOW I'M JUST GETTING IN AND I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYBODY. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE ABOUT THIS. I'VE HEARD ABOUT THE $3 MILLION. THERE'S 3 MILLION. SO HOLD ON. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. AND UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO SECOND THAT MOTION, I GOT TO CARRY THE FIRST MOTION THAT WAS MADE. THEN WE CAN DISCUSS AFTER THAT. WELL, IT'S GOING TO DICTATE WHAT? HOW I VOTE. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON IT. LIKE I SAID, I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE. I JUST WANT TO CATCH UP, PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW. SO. OKAY. WHAT IS WHAT IS COUNCILMAN CUTHBERT ASKING ABOUT THE 3 MILLION? SO IT'S IN THE COMP STUDY RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S ABOUT RAISES IN $3 MILLION GOING TOWARDS DEPARTMENTS TO SPREAD IT OUT. THE CITY MANAGER BASICALLY SAID HE WANTED TO PUT THAT THERE. SO WHEN HE DO GO BACK TO THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HE'LL HAVE THE MONEY THEY ARE TO MAYBE GIVE RAISES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO IS THIS COUNCILMAN CUTLER. HIS HIS ARGUMENT IS HE WANTS ITEMIZED BREAKDOWNS ABOUT WHO GETS WHAT AND WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING TO GO. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S THE PIVOTAL MOMENT OF THE ARGUMENT. THAT'S HE WANTS TO KNOW. MY QUESTION IS, SO THIS IS THE PROMISE THAT WE MADE TO THE WORKERS THAT WE WERE GOING TO GIVE THEM THAT RAISES.
CORRECT. CORRECT. CORRECT. CITY MANAGER THIS THIS THE COMMITMENT WAS TO DO THE CLASS AND COMP TO GET EVERYBODY TO THE NEW PAY SCALE AND THEN ADDRESS COMPRESSION WITHIN THE
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DEPARTMENTS. AND FOR THOSE. SO THE COMPRESSION PIECE WE'RE DEALING WITH IS WE MAY HAVE WE'RE HIRING A NEW FIREFIGHTER. AND WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF INCREASING STARTING PAY. BUT THAT FIREFIGHTER MAY BE BUMPING UP ON A TEN YEAR FIREFIGHTER BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DEALT WITH COMPRESSION AND ADJUSTED SALARIES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SCALE. SO THE CLASS AND COMP PUT US ON A NEW PAY SCALE TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE WITH IN THE REGION AND THEN ADDRESS FOR THAT COMPRESSION. SO THAT TEN YEAR FIREFIGHTER IS IN THE IN THE SCALE TO WHERE HE SHOULD BE, WHERE HE'S NOT BUMPING UP AGAINST A NEW HIRE EVEN THOUGH HE HAS TEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.SO WE'RE ADDRESSING BOTH THE NEW SCALE AND THE COMPRESSION ISSUE FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WITH THE CLASS AND COMP. AND THAT'S WHAT THE $3 MILLION ACCOMPLISHES. COUNCIL ADOPTS THE BUDGET, WILL DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS ACCORDINGLY TO THE DEPARTMENTS. I THINK WHAT COUNCILOR CUTHBERT WANTED WAS A DEPARTMENTAL BREAKDOWN OF THOSE FUNDS PRIOR TO ADOPTING. BUT WE ARE THIS IS PART OF THAT COMMITMENT THAT WE MADE TO EMPLOYEES TO ADDRESS THE PAY.
TWO THINGS, IF I MAY, MR. VICE MAYOR. I DO RECALL, COUNCILMAN CULVER, YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK YOU WERE THE MAIN FIGHTER BEHIND BEING COMPETITIVE WITH SALARIES.
RIGHT? AND MY QUESTION TO YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER, IS. ONCE WE APPROVED IT, IF IT'S APPROVED.
WE'LL BE COMPETITIVE, NUMBER ONE. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CHANGE IT OR FIX IT TO WHERE? MAKE SURE THOSE WHO ARE MAKING THAT $15 AN HOUR OR $10 AN HOUR, WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE. AND, AND IF YOU'RE MAKING OVER $100,000, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU DON'T GET THAT BIG CHUNK LIKE THE ONES WHO'S SACRIFICING EVERY DAY OUT HERE. SO DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO. WELL, ITEMIZE ONCE IT'S PROVEN WHAT THE CLASS AND COMP DOES IS IT PUTS THE CITY IN A IN A PAY SCALE, BUT IT ALSO PUTS THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE WITHIN THEIR GRADE AND THEIR STEP. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET US MORE COMPETITIVE. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT WE'RE RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE HENRICO AND CHESTERFIELD OF THE WORLD, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE WITH THAT. THIS WILL GET US CLOSER TO THAT.
BUT WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IS ONCE THAT'S DONE AND WE ADOPT IT, THEN WE'LL BE ADDRESSING THE INDIVIDUALS BASED ON THE STUDY, NOT WHAT WE WANT INDIVIDUALLY, BUT HOW THE STUDY PUTS THEM AND WHERE THEY MARK THEM AND THEIR NEW GRADE AND THEIR STEP IN THAT GRADE. SO BASED ON THE STUDY, ONCE IT'S APPROVED, WE'LL START LOOKING AT THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS AND WHO HOW ARE WE GOING TO GIVE THEM THEIR RAISES BASED ON WHAT THE STUDY RESULTS WERE? YES, SIR. MY CONCERN IS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, MR. VICE MAYOR, BUT I AM DEFINITELY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR SOCIAL SERVICES AND OUR PARKS AND REC.
I KNOW A MOTION ON THE TABLE. I KNOW IT IS. I JUST I JUST GOT TO CATCH UP, AND I GOT TO, YOU KNOW, I AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS TIME. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FAIR ACROSS. I KNOW WE ARE FAIR. WE'RE ALWAYS FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S STATED, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THAT THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE SOME DIRECTORS THAT'S MAKING LESS THAN PEOPLE WHO DON'T COME BACK ON THE WEEKENDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, MAN, WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF THAT GOT TO BE FIXED. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, MR. VICE MAYOR, I'M OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PIECE THAT WE GOT THE ABILITY TO ADJUST ONCE THIS THING IS APPROVED. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU TOLD ME I WOULD. SO I WOULD SAY WE'RE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST UP. I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM PEOPLE BECAUSE WE'RE PUTTING THEM ON MARKET TODAY, BUT CORRECT. IF WE IF WE HAVE A NEED OR SOMETHING ARISES WHERE WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING MORE HOURS OR COMBINING DUTIES TOGETHER, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND PROVIDE AN ADJUSTMENT IN PAY AS A RESULT OF THAT. OKAY. ONE LAST QUESTION, PLEASE. THANK YOU. HOW DOES THAT COMPARE? BECAUSE YOU HAVE DEPARTMENT HEADS. THAT'S THAT'S MAKING DIFFERENT FIGURES. AND SOME DO MORE IN THE CITY THAN THE OTHERS. I'M NOT TRYING TO CAUSE A FIGHT. I'M JUST SAYING WE HAVE SOME WHO'S REALLY OUT THERE DOING THEIR THING, MAN. YOU KNOW, AND WEARING MULTIPLE HATS. YEAH. YOU KNOW. ABSOLUTELY. SO WHAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY THERE TO DO IS WHEN WE ADOPT THIS AND THEN WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WEARING MULTIPLE HATS OR DOING MULTIPLE THINGS. THEN WE AND WE CAN GO BACK IN AND LOOK AT THOSE DUTIES AND PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENT UP TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THOSE, THOSE PIECES. SO IT COMES TO IT IS THE BASE. THAT'S WHAT WE APPROVED THAT THAT PUT THEM ON ON A ON A PLAYING FIELD. AND THEN WE COULD APPROVE THE OTHER RAISES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. I GOT YOU. YES, YES. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE. AND A SECOND THEN WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO TABLE. ARE THERE ANY SECONDS TO THE TABLE. ARE THERE ANY SECONDS TO
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THE TABLE MOTION. ARE THERE ANY SECONDS TO THE TABLE. MOTION TO TABLE MOTION DIES BY LACK OF A SECOND. AND THEN WE'LL BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO APPROVE THE CITY'S PETERSBURG FY 2026 OPERATING BUDGET. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MAY WE, MAY WE, MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MR. VICE MAYOR, YOU MAY BE THE VICE MAYOR, BUT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION. WAIT. NO NO NO NO NO, HOLD ON, HOLD ON. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS. IT'S TIME TO VOTE. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS.AND YOU TOLD ME THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. I KNOW. NO, NO, NO, THIS IS NO. THIS IS MOTION TIME RIGHT HERE. YOU PUT A MOTION OUT TO TABLE IT. NO. ONE SECOND. IT IT'S TIME TO VOTE IT.
WELL TELL ME I GOT A NO NO NO NO. YOU CAN YOU CAN ASK THIS QUESTION TO THE CITY MANAGER AWAY FROM THIS MEETING. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION OVER AND OVER AGAIN, DIFFERENT WAYS AT DIFFERENT MULTIPLE TIMES IN, IN, IN, IN YOUR TWO ON TWOS ALONG WITH OUT HERE IN THE PUBLIC, EVERYBODY ALREADY KNOWS WHERE YOU STAND WITH THIS. I BELIEVE SO, AND I'M TRYING TO BE AS GRACIOUS AS I CAN TO EVERYBODY ON COUNCIL. WE BROUGHT HIM UP TO COUNCILMAN JONES. UP TO SPEED. NOW IT'S TIME TO VOTE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST STONEWALL THIS LIKE THIS. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL, MR. CUTHBERT. MR. VICE, KEEP ON GOING. DOES THIS APPLY TO CITY COUNCILS FOR EMPLOYEES? HOLD ON. THAT WAS THE ANSWER TO THAT. EXCUSE ME. DO YOU RECALL THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION? SHE CALLED YOU? DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION? SHE CALLED YOU. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR.
HILL. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. NO. WE DO THE MOTION. NO, WAIT A MINUTE. MOTION CARRIES. DO NOT. NO IMPORTANT INFORMATION. WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THIS APPLIES TO CITY COUNCILS FOR EMPLOYEES. THE MOTION CARRIES THIS MEETING. EXAMPLE. WE DO NOT KNOW IF COUNCIL DOES NOT AGREE WITH THE ALLOCATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS. CAN COUNCIL CHANGE THAT ALLOCATION? THOSE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. WE'VE GOT A $144 MILLION BUDGET ON THE TABLE. WE NEED ANSWERS. WE CAN'T JUST SAY MR. MISTER VICE MAYOR, MR. VICE MAYOR, IF I MAY, MR. VICE MAYOR, IF YOU SIT UP HERE ON CITY COUNCIL AND YOU'RE DUMB ENOUGH TO NOT KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT REVERT ANYTHING THAT YOU PUT ON THIS TABLE, THEN YOU'RE AS AS SIMPLE AS THAT, AS THAT WALL OVER THERE. YOU KNOW GOOD AND WELL THAT YOU CAN REVERSE ANYTHING UP HERE IF YOU HAVE THE VOTES. SO WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO ANYTHING IN HERE THAT YOU SO DESIRE. SO DON'T MAKE EVERYBODY THINK THAT EVERYBODY OUT HERE IS STUPID.
THEY'RE NOT. YES, YOU CAN REVERSE IT. THANK YOU. MEETING ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.