Minutes
COUNCIL BRIEFING
Meeting
June 13, 2006
Members Present: Mayor Pro Tem John J. Rodgers and Councilors Wayne Anthony,
Glenn Davis, Berry Henderson (arrived 8:00 a.m.), Julius Hunter, Jr. (arrived
7:55 a.m.), Nathan Suber and Evelyn Woodson (arrived 8:00 a.m.). Also present
were City Manager Isaiah Hugley, City Attorney Clifton Fay, Finance Director
Angela Cole, and Deputy Clerk of Council Sandra Davis.
Members Absent: Councilors R. Gary Allen, Charles E. McDaniel, Jr. and Evelyn
Turner Pugh were absent.
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This meeting was called to order at 7:51 a.m., in the Council Chambers
Conference Room, Plaza Level of the Government Center.
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Topics of Discussion:
City Manager Hugley said the main reason for having this Council Briefing is to
allow the University of Georgia, Carl Vinson Institute, Dr. Condry and staff to
have some conversation with Council about the pay study. Also, he said that we
wanted to have the Lower Chattahoochee RDC to share with Council what the
organization does for the City of Columbus. He said that Ms. Patti Cullen is
not present but Ms. Howard representing the Lower Chattahoochee RDC is present.
He pointed out that we do provide funding to the Lower Chattahoochee RDC and we
wanted them to come before the Council.
Ms. Cathy Howard, Director of Economic Development, came forward and introduced
Ms. Tiffany Ingram- Director of the Area Agency on Aging. Ms. Howard then
outlined the duties the Lower Chattahoochee RDC provides to the city and are
outlined as follows: (A copy of this document was filed for the record.)
Planning Department
Required to assist with reviews of Developments of Regional Impact
Notifies the city about different funding sources to assist with the
revitalization of Columbus South.
Review federal assistance applications that are done by the city
Under the Department of Transportation contract, the staff completed a Regional
Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan with much of the focus of the plan centered in the
City of Columbus
Our historic preservation planner does a lot of work in assisting Historic
Columbus. She reviewed over 100 cases for the Board of Historic &
Architectural Review.
Economic Development
Works with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center on
referrals for business development.
Provided assistance to Grow Benning Committee through BRAC to support the
expansion of Ft. Benning
Co-sponsored the Entrepreneurial Boot Camp with the Columbus Chamber of
Commerce, the Columbus Regional Innovation Center, and the Small Business
Development Center.
Ms. Howard maintained that the grant dollars may be going to Quitman County,
Chattahoochee County and Talbot County, but the money is coming to businesses
in Columbus and the tax dollars are spent here.
After Ms. Howard responded to several questions from the members of Council,
City Manager Hugley concluded by mentioning we currently are funding the Lower
Chattahoochee RDC for a budgeted amount of $100,000
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UGA Pay Study:
City Manager Hugley called upon Dr. Condry to come forward to discuss the pay
study.
Dr. Condry said the sentiment is that the City wants to implement a new pay
plan but the question is what version of it to use. He spoke of his meeting
with City Manager Hugley, Finance Director Angela Cole and Human Resources
Director Tom Barron, at which time, he expressed his preference to do a full
plan. He said the full plan addresses the compression issue. He explained
that the difference between Plan B and Plan C is an economic choice of how much
the City wants to go into the fund balance. He pointed out that Plan B
essentially helps those new employees that have not been hired yet. He
suggested the full Plan C this fiscal year, monitor the revenue and next year
look into step increases by moving the employees out into the range. He said
that in 2008, the Administration could come back to us and we would resurvey
the market and take the City to 100% of the market at no additional cost.
In response to a question of Councilor Suber, Dr. Condry said where the City is
having the most problem is in public safety; therefore, we are suggesting to
move out a step with educational incentive for those employees. He maintained
that with everything being equal Plan A is the preferable choice, if the City
could afford to do it. He said the last thing you want to do is spend money
for the study and not be able to fund the system.
Dr. Condry responding to Councilor Davis, said it is the same pay plan. He
explained that Plan A is the plan and Plan B, C & D are just different funding
levels for that plan. He pointed out that Plan A is the market.
Councilor Woodson said her biggest concern was the compression issue. She said
that her understanding of Plan B is that it would address the compression
issue.
Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers stated that our goal is not only to attract qualified
personnel but to be able to retain them. He said how detailed is the study as
it relates to compression. He then asked if the study is able to determine
which positions are compressed, how much are they compressed and how much would
it cost to relieve the compression. Dr. Condry replied our feeling is that the
salaries are so low, and the employees are at the bottom of the scale. He said
the other side of the coin is the public safety, and they have more of a step
system; therefore, they may have less of a compression issue.
Finance Director Angela Cole advised that she and Dr. Condry has spoken about
the funding. She said that in FY-07, we would do the major push for the
implementation of the plan. She said in FY-08 we look to do a small step to
tweak the plan by doing a one or two-step increase, and that would help us to
address some of our revenue expenses and adjustments that we have to make in
FY-08. She said in FY-09, we talked about readjusting the entire plan by
conducting a mini-survey of the plan; then, we would look at doing a major
increase overall.
Finance Director Cole said the cash flow that comes into the General Fund is
going to be critical to the payroll. She explained that until taxes come in
and until major revenue sources come in, that cash flow pull will be greater on
just meeting what we have to meet.
In response to a question of Councilor Anthony, City Manager Hugley maintained
the $557,743 is more than enough to handle appeals. He said that he does not
believe that we would use that total amount on appeals.
City Manager Hugley advised that he talked to Dr. Condry on yesterday about an
incentive package for public safety; a sign-on bonus, $2,000 relocation and the
educational incentive with $1,200 for a Bachelor?s Degree and $1,200 for a
Master?s Degree would be included in the pay plan. He explained the $2,000
sign-on bonus would come in increments taking approximately one year or year
and a half before they receive the entire $2,000. He said he requested the
Finance Department to determine the cost, and they have projected $270,000 and
could be paid out of the fund balance. He said that we could go back, and this
would be a policy decision, to say that any entry-level person hired within the
last six or twelve months would be eligible to receive this. He said this is
something that we need to do and he would recommend that.
Councilor Anthony asked if Dr. Condry was recommending Plan C, at which time,
Dr. Condry said that he is recommending a full Plan A, B, or C. He said it
appears the plan that the City could most afford and maintain is Plan C and
this is the plan that he believes the city could sustain for the next fiscal
year. He pointed out that Plan C addresses a lot of the compression problems,
it helps with General Government and Public Safety.
City Manager Hugley said that he recommends the plan that he could commit the
funding to and that is Plan C Mod I. He said that he would be willing to take
the risk and go to a straight Plan C, which would give three longevity steps,
but his recommendation is Plan C Mod I.
Councilor Anthony said that he would like to see something solid so that the
employees know that we are going to seriously address the compression issue.
City Manager Hugley said that Dr. Condry has indicated that he would be willing
to work with us and bring us back something for the Council to consider. He
cautioned that whatever Dr. Condry brings back would not completely address
compression, because we cannot afford it. He said that Dr. Condry would help
us move in that direction.
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There being no further business to discuss and with the dialogue being
concluded, this meeting adjourned at 8:50 a.m.
________________________
Sandra T. Davis,
Deputy Clerk of Council
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