MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL

CALLED MEETING

JANUARY 10TH, 2008

7:00 PM CALLED MEETING

Mayor Newsome called the meeting to order with the following Council Members present: Mayor Pro Tem Gross, Councilor Standifer, Jacobs, Pompey and Alexander. Also present were: City Manager, Hugh King and City Clerk, Belinda Whirley.

INVOCATION

Mayor Newsome gave the invocation.

AGENADA APPROVAL

Councilor Jacobs made a motion seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Gross to approve the agenda as presented. All were in favor

NEW BUSINESS

SETTING OF COUNCIL APPOINTEES SALARY

Mayor Pro Tem Gross made a motion seconded by Councilor Jacobs to pay the city manager at the rate he is currently receiving. All were in favor.

Mayor Pro Tem Gross made a motion seconded by Councilor Standifer to pay city clerk at the rate currently being received. All were in favor.

Councilor Jacobs made a motion seconded by Councilor Standifer to a pay judge at the rate currently being paid. All were in favor.

Mayor Pro Tem Gross made a motion to start the interim police chief at a salary of $49.000.00.

Councilor Standifer stopped debate by calling the question. Votes were cast and Gross’ motion failed due to a 4-1 vote against starting salary.

Councilor Pompey said the chief who had 15 years experience in Monticello was only paid $51,000, and thought that $49,000 was too much to start the new chief out. Councilor Standifer said that typically the council gives raises in the new budget, which begins July 1, and suggested Mr. Smith start out at four percent less than the $49,000.00 starting salary to allow room for growth.

Mayor Pro Tem Gross implied that council should not assume that cost of living raises would be given, because he is not sure the city will be able to do that this year.
Mayor Pro Gross said that the previous council had approved pay scales for all positions. Other council members said yes, but “interim” police chief is not on the chart. Councilor Jacobs asked if the ARC had done the pay scale, and said that it would provide that service for the city.
Councilor Pompey implied that other employees are working under the city’s personnel policy and asked if positions had to be advertised? City Manager King said the City does advertise vacancies, but these appointed positions serve at the pleasure of the council.

Standifer made a motion seconded by Councilor Alexander to set starting salary at 4% less than the starting pay for the police chief position. All were in favor.

APPROVAL TO OBTAIN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX AT LOCAL BANK

Councilor Standifer made a motion seconded by Councilor Jacobs to get a safety deposit box at the bank so the city has a place to keep important documents, such as a certificate of deposit the city currently has, and other items. All were in favor

DISCUSSION OF REPAYMENT OF WATER/SEWER BOND CONSTRUCTION FUND

Councilor Jacobs made a motion seconded by Councilor Pompey to pay one-sixth of the water and sewer fund debt out of the reserve, and have the city manager and clerk find a way to pay back the additional money. All were in favor.
PUBLIC COMMENTS


Steve Benton appeared before Council to express his concerns with the impression that Council gave at Tuesday night’s regular meeting. Mr. Benton a native of Monticello and a resident of Hillsboro St., told council that “You only get one chance to make a first impression....You did not make a good impression.” He said in his nearly 33 years of work he held mostly managerial positions and supervised 300 employees, and 1,300 inmates in his job as a prison warden. He said that he had learned that constructive criticism helps...it is not an attack on a person.
Mr. Benton spoke negatively about the treatment of Councilors Standifer and Pompey at Tuesday night’s meeting. Benton went on to say that “it is not always the way it is” that matters, “but the way it appears.” and you looked like you had a clique Tuesday. “You’re to represent the citizens of this city....The decisions you make impact everybody in this town....You’re elected to represent the people.” He went on to say that it will take a lot of work for this council to overcome the bad first impression it made.

Charles Forsythe reminded Council of the open meetings and open records laws, and said, “Congratulations, you’re the first city to go against House Bill 489 and double tax your citizens.” Mr. Forsythe was referring to the city’s decision last month to give the library $10,000. He said he does not like to pay double taxes.

COUNCIL COMMENTS

Councilor Standifer agreed with Mr. Benton, saying “this is one community.”
Mayor Pro Tem Gross said the reason he cut off debate at Tuesday night’s meeting was “the discussion was about to get racial,” and said the newspaper did not report that.

Councilor Pompey informed Council that she was not treated fair at Tuesday’s meeting and that she deserves more respect from her colleagues.


Councilor Jacobs said, “We all need to realize a certain amount of decorum.”
Mayor Newsome informed Council that Georgia-Pacific was laying off 363 employees as of last Friday. In addition to the impact of those people being out of work, Mayor Newsome said that Georgia-Pacific accounts for nearly 70 percent of the City’s gas revenue, and that pinch will be felt.

ADJOURNMENT

Meeting adjourned at 7:55 pm on a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Gross and seconded by Councilor Jacobs. All were in favor.