The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
1 September Meeting
2010 Compensation Budget Guidelines
Zero, Zip, Nothing
Jerry introduced the beginning of the 2010 budget process. He began by polling the BOA on their perspectives on employee raises for next year.
Vic="No raise next year"
Mary="Hold fast"
Ed="I agree with Mary"
Tanya="We can revisit in 6 months"
Jerry basically had no comments.
Wow. During the limited discussion a mention was made of the current economic environment (in the US)(?).
Sitting in the audience I was stunned. There was no discussion of underlying budget issues, just no raise next year...can't imagine what Gary/George/Gwen thought. Think about this. We have a very tenured city staff that delivers our basic city services. Got a problem with snow removal? Grinder working ok? Feel secure and safe. Then the BOA says, for all intents and purposes, we don't have the money. Never mind the fact the community (and now I'm including us as WLIC members) have been willing to spend big bucks on Peret/Beanfield/O cove/K cove as well as more improvements to come. We're about to embark on fund raising for the entrance monuments. We shot off $15,000 for 4th of July. We spent funds to "upgrade" the CC and support its losing financial condition. And more. Do you think there is a consensus of taxpayers that would not be willing to consider merit increases for our city employees? How much do you think that would be? You might be embarrassed to know what a modest increase would be. Take a guess.
To take a play from Mary's playbook, if you have a problem with a Zero pay increase for our City employees, call your alderman...and mayor. The number is in the phone book.
Glenda Negrelli, in the audience, agreed with the BOA position, making comments about her experience at Hallmark. My guess that is not a apples to apples comparison, certainly the benefits package at Hallmark is generous compared to our City package.
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12 comments:
You're so dead wrong on this one Mike. WLIC activities are not City of Weatherby Lake. Fireworks and entrance signs are voluntary contributions. Correct me if I'm wrong but the CC improvement was before the economy was hit so hard? Unemployment is at a 26-year high of 9.7% . Many, many, many people have lost jobs or taken a pay cut . And that doesn't mean those people weren't doing a their job. Our family's income has taken a 11% cut in pay, doing the same job and taking on additional responsibilities because of loss personnel.. Our city employees should consider themselves lucky to have a job. Many people would give anything to have their jobs. Thank you BOA for taking this position. Welcome to the real world Mike.
(But I would agree the WLIC was completely out of line in bombarding people with this latest assessment considering the dire straits some people are in.)
Along with pay cuts and lost jobs what are the chances the 90% employed are getting actual pay increases this year.
I anticipated there would be comments like above. Nobody complained about the fireworks here in July, despite historic national unemployment, etc. $14,400 (or more) has been collected in donations to the City fund to cover the $15,000 expenditure, for a 30 minute display. It is a reflection of what our community (not necessarily city) enjoys and wants. To cite the national unemployment figures and the national economy without even mentioning or considering our current City budget situation is a bit ludicrous...don't you think? You might have noticed the City (see last meeting minutes) received an unanticipated settlement of $37,000 from ATT. Think a portion of that could be put aside for those city employees that merit it? We just received $50,000 from KCMO to build entrance monuments. More important than our best employees?
Before you ask, "What did you do, Mike?", I will tell you. #1 I attended the meeting (this would not have been reported in the next issue of WLL) and #2, during public comments, I told the Mayor and the BOA why it was a bad decision. I stressed a number of times I do not believe in increases because it is simply a new year. I emphasized that there may be city employees who have performed at a level that deserves consideration for a pay increase, even if it is modest. By the way, you might ask Vic if he will receive a pay increase at Park Hill...I'll save you the time, answer is yes.
It was a shoot from the hip discussion with results that I can assure you will have a number of folks backpedaling...any bets?
I agree with you Mike
There is some hope for the elite liberals out here.
Too many high paid executives and knuckleheaded politicians think hard working loyal employees are "lucky to have a job"
We are lucky to have them
All Weatherby Lake residents who will not be receiving a pay raise this year, have lost your job, taken a pay cut, lost benefits, or taken a hit on your 401K, please stand up and support Mike in his quest to give Weatherby Lake city employees a pay raise from your tax dollars. Anyone who feels the $37,000 should go to city employees instead of the city's floundering infrastructure, please let him know. And if anyone feels the $50,000 Kansas City paid specifically for our now non existent city signs should go to city employees, please let him know. In fact, let's all rally behind a new law : During any economic duress all city employees are exempt from financially feeling the effects the rest of the world is coping with.
Dear Proclamation...please note, my suggestion is a consideration of dedicating A Portion of the monies you mentioned for employees who MERIT a raise. Some homework for you...find out how much the city payroll is and use 2.5% (the projected 2010 payraise across the country).
While pondering this you might ask your aldermen/Mayor why they failed to pass along the KCMO water rate increase? Doing you a favor, trying to give you a break?
All Weatherby Lake residents who will not be receiving a pay raise this year, have lost your job, taken a pay cut, lost benefits, or taken a hit on your 401K,you are now going to be asked to make donations to build a new entrance monuments.
We know the people who make a lot of money can afford it because they got big tax cuts .
Dont expect the the fat cat executives that got big bonuses to take a pay cut You know they got us where we are at .
They added real value by creating false wealth ,manipulating markets and reinventing financial products.
Lets keep making lame excuses that we cant afford to pay our hard working people a well deserved merit increases
Many companies have opted for bonus pay instead of a pay raise.
That would work . However regardless of the method I think we need to reconsider and take care of those who take care of us.
I would like to see our City Leadership reconsider the discretionary spending and
re-evaluate what I believe are misplaced priorities
I don't see how comparing what we have to pay to the city and purchasing bean fields has in common. Oh wait we HAD to pay for the bean field. We were NOT given options. The WLIC decided to buy and we were TOLD we HAD TO PAY... I don't hardly see the similarities do you?
I support buying the beanfield
I believe it is imperative to protect our lake . We dont have a choice
I do not support building entrance monuments
Sorry I did not mean to imply I in ANY way support paying for signs. I personally don't see why we need to advertise we are here. Almost seems like we would be asking for criminals to come in.(Hey we're Weatherby Lake, we have money come in and rob us) Why does each road need a sign anyway? Why not just put one at Eastside and one at Westside. Those are the 2 main roads to enter. (No I do not live off either) However look at Barry Road and what do you see. Do you really think purchasing the bean field helped us. It is all still running off. Not to mention the trucks and stuff going through the bean field. They are way farther in that a 10 foot easment.
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