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Mayor’s Budget Down,

Calls For 3% Pay Decrease

For All City Employees

By Carol Arnett

Mayor Robert Lowery has presented a proposed budget to the Florissant City Council and the  council held a public hearing on the budget at Monday’s council meeting.

The $29 million budget includes a 3% pay decrease for all city employees and the elimination of the residential bonus that employees who live in the city currently receive. The proposed budget is down from 2009 proposed amount of $34 million and close to the actual $30 million from 2008.

Revenues from licenses, permits, and recreation fees are projected to hold steady, while revenue from taxes is projected to increase slightly, from $14.5 million in 2009 to $15.5 million in 2010. This includes a proposed 2% increase in the utility tax. Revenue from interest income, municipal court and other miscellaneous revenue is projected to go down from $4.4 million to $3.4 million.

Lowery spoke to the council about the budget when he presented it to the council.  He said the task of presenting a balanced budget, which he is required by law to do, was very difficult. He proposed a 5% pay cut for himself.

In addition to the proposed employee pay cuts, and the increase in the utility tax, Lowery said that all budget items have been reduced “to only the essential to maintain city services.” He proposed a reduction the seasonal summer employees, a reduction of hours of operation for some facility, limited overtime, and not replacing employees who leave or retire. “However, this will not apply to the Police Department,” he said.

City Applying For Stimulus Grants

Lowery said the city would be applying for numerous stimulus grants. “I am pleased to announce that I have successfully negotiated a health care contract for all City employees at no increase in cost to the city.”

“I wanted to remind you that the city has no real estate or personal property tax,” Lowery said. “I am also pleased to announce that I am recommending that the Sewer Lateral Insurance Program fee be reduced from $50 per year to $20 per year,” Lowery said. He added that the reduction was made possible by competitive bidding and the use of city employees on sewer lateral repairs.

“These extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures,” Lowery said. He added that he expected the economy to improve and when it does, he will recommend that items cut from the budget be restored.

At the public hearing, Cynthia Treiber, an employee from the Public Works department, presented a proposal signed by several city employees asking the city to consider options other than the 3% pay cut.

The option the employees presented was a 1% pay increase, with one unpaid day off per month. This would cost the city less, and give the employees an extra day off, while increasing their base salary, so that when the economy got better and raises were granted, their salaries would not be lower, they said.

Councilwoman Karen McKay reminded everyone that the council would hold work sessions on the budget starting on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Monday, Oct. 19. At the work sessions, each department head is there to discuss their department’s budget. “At this point,” McKay said, “we haven’t had work sessions, have not met with department heads. We got this two weeks ago and are studying it.”

“I think it’s time we have some unity with the council and administration,” Lowery said.

“Cooperation goes both ways,” said Councilman Andrew Podleski. He said that he would like to see the budget process reviewed, and suggested that the council have more input during the creation of the budget.

The council will hold their work sessions on Saturday, Oct 17 at 8 a.m. in the government center and on Monday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.  at the government center. More sessions will be scheduled as needed.

The sessions are open to the public, but the public can only observe; there is no time set aside for public input at the work sessions.

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