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TUESDAY, MAY 25, 1999 <br /> Council next continued its Budget discussions. Council Member Dallas moved that the electric <br /> <br />rebate of $220,000, mentioned earlier in the meeting, be used as follows: <br /> <br />$ 60,000 be used for providing a 3.5% across-the-board salary increase for employees. <br />$ 50,000 be used to provide a Special Projects Fund for the School System <br />$110,000 be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund <br />This motion died for lack of a second, Council Member Roop then stated that he would like to revisit the <br />issue of salaries and compensation. Vice-Mayor Teague stated that he would like to know the City <br />Manager' s feelings on how best to use the rebate funds in question. Council Member Haskell stated that <br />there were two separate issues to be addressed; the use of the rebate funds and the compensation of City <br />employees. Some discussion then occurred concerning an idea of creation of an economic development <br />fund with some of the rebate funds, to be used to follow through on economic development oppom_mifies. <br />that required immediate response. Mr. Reynolds responded that the City had a $15.5 million general fund <br />budget, independent of all other funds, and that if there was an immediate need to respond to a business <br />prospect the City could and would respond as necessary. Council Member Haskell then asked when the <br />Council needed to take action on the employee compensation issue, and Mayor Crabtree stated that <br />immediate action was needed. Vice-Mayor Teague stated that information provided to the Council the <br />previous evening showed that the City' s Pay Plan was in good condition, and that employees within the <br />plan were competitively compensated relative to the market place. Consequently, the Vice-Mayor stated, <br />he was inclined to support the 2.95% average increase recommended by the City Manager. Council <br />Member Haskell stated that it had also been demonstrated that the City employees were being provided a <br />very generous health care coverage package which would continue throughout their retirement. She <br />stated that the City must be competitive in compensation, but within the taxpayer's capability to provide <br />such compensation. Council Member Roop then asked what impact implementation of Council Member <br />Dall,a~'~:~estion of a 3.5% compensation increase would have. Mr. Wade Bartlett, Director of Finance, <br />state~Q~.tht~ impact would be that all employees in the plan would move equally in terms of percentage <br /> <br /> <br />