Columbus, Georgia

Minutes



COUNCIL BRIEFING



Meeting

August 5, 2003



Members Present: Mayor Pro Tem John J. Rodgers (arrived 5:21 p.m.) and

Councilors Wayne Anthony, Glenn Davis, Berry Henderson, Julius Hunter, Jr.,

Charles E. McDaniel, Jr., Evelyn Turner Pugh, Nathan Suber (arrived 5:18 p.m.)

and Evelyn Woodson (arrived 5:18 p.m.). Also present were Mayor Robert S.

Poydasheff, City Manager Carmen Cavezza and City Attorney Clifton Fay.



Members Absent: Councilor R. Gary Allen was absent.

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City Manager Cavezza called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. in the Council

Chambers Conference Room, Plaza Level, Government Center.



Military Activated City Employees:

City Manager Cavezza recommended that City employees that are in the reserve

and are activated; then, if their military pay is less than what the City pays

the individual, the City would make up the difference in their pay, for up to a

year while they are still on active duty. He pointed out that this item is

listed on the City Attorney?s Agenda today for first reading. He said that if

this is approved on second reading; then, we would bring forward a

recommendation to provide some pay to some of the soldiers that were

activated. He advised that the cost is approximately $1,700 a month. He said

that there were only about four people involved. He said this would be up to

the grade of E4 where we would probably have to supplement their pay;

generally, the rank E5 and above, there is no problem. He said that we would

bring each one to the Council for approval.



There was some discussion regarding the one-year time limit. City Manager

Cavezza advised that the Council has the authority to continue it after the

one-year time frame has elapsed. Several members of Council expressed their

views on this matter.



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Public Services - Tree Pick-Up:

City Manager Cavezza pointed out that Public Safety Director Rufus Riggs has

done a lot of work regarding tree pick-up, but we would wait until the next

work session to come back to the Council with some options.



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Pay Plan Maintenance:

City Manager Cavezza explained that Human Resources Director Tom Barron has

researched the Pay Plan Maintenance and has found that we vary in several

positions in the pay plan. He explained that some positions are further behind

or even with other organizations. He maintained that instead of a 3% pay plan

maintenance, we want to do an across the board look to determine how much of an

increase for every position. Councilor Henderson said this would alter the

entire plan. He said that it makes more sense to give everyone the 3%

increase.



City Manager Cavezza said that if everyone would feel more comfortable with the

administration not looking at each position, but apply a percentage raise to

each grade; then, we could look at doing it that way. He said that we would

like to take a look at that, and we want to bring something forward by mid-year.



There was some additional discussion on this matter with various members of

Council expressing their views. Councilor Suber asked for the difference in

cost to implement the pay increases according to the procedure that the City

Manager is proposing versus the 3% across the board, at which time, City

Manager Cavezza replied that the 3% across the board for the employees that are

capped out would be approximately $17,000. for this year, and in the future,

for FY05 the maximum would be approximately $200,000. Human Resources Director

Tom Barron added that the cost should be much less. City Manager Cavezza

advised that he does not know what the cost for the proposal would be at this

time.



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Meeting adjourned 5:28 p.m.







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Sandra T. Davis, Deputy Clerk of Council