News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville City Council approved the first reading of its new fiscal year budget Thursday night.
The budget features $29.9 million in revenues with some $29.45 million in expenses. Expenses increased some seven percent. Finance Director Brenda Imel said the city will focus on increasing pay for city employees starting with an adjustment to the city’s pay grades.
“This will be just the third time we’ve moved those pay scales, the ranges,” Imel said. “And we’re also proposing a one-time market adjustment which will be the greater of the amount to get to the new minimum with the change in the scales or $1,456 for all full-time employees, all grades this time. That equals $56 per pay period. This budget also funds merit increases based on performance, up to a maximum of three percent. The budget also includes longevity pay.”
City Manager James Mills said the pay grade increase of four percent will help those employees in the lower pay grades most. Mills said at a work session Tuesday the city wants to get the hourly rate over $15 for all city employees.
The only change from the work session budget proposal, was the budgeting of $15,000 for downtown improvements. Council Member Eric Walker said at a work session he thought the city needed to work on the planters and landscaping around the courthouse square. Imel said the money came from a $15,000 reduction to improvements at Franklin Park.
In other business Thursday, council approved the rezoning of two parcels along West Broad Street and CC Camp Road to allow for the construction of a warehouse. City Council set a public hearing date for July 1 for the rezoning of one parcel along Buffalo Valley Road.
Dan Rader will continue to serve as the city attorney for two additional years. Council member Charles Womack said the city has gotten big enough that it needs its own attorney on-staff. David Ledbetter will also continue to serve as city judge on a two-year appointment.
The council agreed to complete East 9th Street railroad crossing safety improvements through T-DOT.
The city council approved a three-year agreement with Tennessee Tech for upkeep of the university’s utility facilities. The agreement has a two-year option period.
