Council Approves Employee Pay Scale, Considers Change to Meeting Dates

by Kevin Surbaugh

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Mayor Marilyn Pearse gaveled the meeting to order promptly at 7 P.M. to call the Tuesday November 7, 2016 Baldwin City Council meeting to order.
The council was presented with Resolution 2016-20, which sets the minimum and maximum range of
city employee pay. After adoption, the city would review the range annually, so see if there needs to be any tweaks.

Mayor Pearse proposing changing council meeting days.
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Discussion ensued about three employees that was over the maximum. City Attorney Matt Hoy, insured the council that no ones salaries would be cut, it would only affect those employees who were below the minimum for their particular job title, and bring them up to that minimum.
Council Member David Simmons  that the maximum should reflect what the maximum actually is.  Council Member Steve Bauer moved that the resolution be approved and Council Member Cathy Darnell seconded. The motion was approved 4-1, with Simmons casting the only dissenting vote.
Mayor Pearse floated a proposal about changing the days the council meets.  Many holidays fall on Monday's which push those meetings that fall on those days back to Tuesday. In January 2017, the first two meetings of the year, as currently scheduled, fall on holidays (January 2 and January 16).
With the meetings currently, it makes it difficult for citizens and the Council Members alike to attend the school board meetings, which generally meets on the third Monday each month.
No action was taken as the council was asked to consider the proposal.  Any change to the meeting days, would take affect the first meeting of the new year.
In other business:

Heard from Amy Dewitt, Angels Care Home Health, about a group of Seniors, that tries to help seniors identify services for seniors and/or services that will come to Baldwin City.  Here purpose for speaking was to try to make the public more aware of the service.

Approved unanimously retaining the auditing firm of Mize Houser and Company as auditors for the city.

Approved unanimously the purchase of a new police patrol SUV for the sum of $29,150 from Laird Noller Ford. 

Heard from the Public Safety Committee that they had looked at the first draft of a manufactured home park ordinance. The committee recommended some changes, and will see a second draft at it's next meeting on November 17, 2016.

 During public comment, heard from a Baldwin City resident, that lives on First Street, that was concerned that First Street wasn't paved.   

Meeting adjourned at 8:05 P.M.