City Approves Series of Spending Resolutions and Assessments

The Glasgow City Council approved a series of spending resolutions during their regular city council meeting on Nov. 18. The resolutions were passed following a legally required public hearing to hear input from the public before spending the taxpayer money. The hearing closed in a matter of seconds after no member of the public rose to speak.

The resolutions consisted of Resolution Numbers 3016, 3017, 3018, 3019, 3020 and 3022. The initial resolution 3016 changed the assessment on city residences that pertains to the collection and disposal of garbage. The city increased the assessment to a total of $329,600, which is split up amongst the various residential, business and complex zones in the city (see the chart on page 6A labeled "Exhibit A").

Resolution 3017 assessed the amount of money needed to maintain and provide power for the 29 different Glasgow Lighting Districts for the next fiscal year. That amount was assessed at a total value of $189,252.07.

Resolution No. 3018 assessed the costs of the Glasgow Street Maintenance District “to defray costs for fiscal year 2019-2020.” The total amount assessed for the streets is $482,257.62 to be divided accordingly among the various residential and business properties.

Resolution No. 3019 approved the entire budget proposal for the city of Glasgow for the upcoming fiscal year. That total dollar value of the budget is set for $23,759,771 which includes both tax and non-tax revenues.

Resolution No. 3020 approved additional “Permissive Medical Levy Mills” to fund the city’s employer group health insurance for the upcoming fiscal year. That amount was set at .38 mills or $1,829.

Resolution No. 3022 set the salaries for the Mayor, city council members, elected officers and all city employees, excluding the Glasgow police officers, for the next FY. Those salaries are: Mayor at $1,015.37/month; council members at $405.00/month; city clerk-treasurer at $23.72/hour; assistant city clerk at $18.32/hour; utility billing clerk at $13.22/hour; director of public works at $33.82/hour; recreation director at $22.52/hour; recreation secretary at $15.27/hour; police administration and grant writer at $21.57/hour; recreation maintenance person at $22.39/hour; the street, cemetery and parks union employees are paid at $22.02/hour; union water employees are paid $22.37/hour plus $.50 more once certified; the water employee supervisor (union) is paid $27.37/hour; street-park foreman, which is also a union position, is paid $22.37/hour; street leadman is paid $22.37/hour; “Captain” is paid $21.10/hour; the fire chief is paid $10/hour when on call; the victim witness advocate positions (which are grant funded) are paid $20/hour; the GPD evidence technician is paid $18.50/hour; streets and parks seasonal employees are paid $10/hour for their first year and $.25 increase for returning seasons; pool employees are paid $10 to $11.50/hour depending on qualifications and experience; summer recreation instructors are paid $10 to $12/hour based on qualifications and experience; the city judge position makes $25.07/hour; the Valley Court maintenance/assistant recreation maintenance employee makes $13/hour.

The city council also approved a counter offer to the Glasgow Police Department’s proposed offer of a $1/hour wage increase for their recurring two-year contract. That increase would have put GPD ahead of the yearly raises offered to the teamsters union, and all other city employees, of $.35/hour in FY 2018-2019 and $.57/hour offered for FY 2019-2020. The city council countered the police offer with a $.92/hour wage increase for the city’s police officers which would equal the other city employee raises. That counter will go to the police union for acceptance or counter before being finalized or countered by the city council.