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BY JEANETTE EBERLIN RIZZELLO

The Hazelwood City Council approved a $27 million budget at a second public hearing on June 27 with no tax increase to the residents. The final adoption of the budget had been delayed one week due to a disagreement on a proposed market pay plan for employees.

At public hearings on June 20 and 27 the council chamber was filled with a standing room only crowd of employees from all divisions of the city with concerns about the new pay plan. The pay plan recommended by the city manager provided substantial salary increases to Hazelwood Fire Department employees by raising their maximum salary level by five percent. Under this plan, 53% of the new dollars for salary increases were dedicated to the Fire Department. Funding for the increases was achieved in part by holding salaries for most other employees level for the next three years.

The pay plan establishes a salary level for the Fire Department that is $7,422 higher than for the Police Department. Objections to the pay plan were based on questions of whether the plan was fair to all employee groups by allocating the majority of money to only one department.

The council unanimously approved a 1.7 % Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase for all employees, but the proposed market pay plan for employees passed by a narrow 5 -4 vote. The division among council members centered on the issue of equity in the pay plan between all city departments. Voting against the plan were Mayor T.R. Carr and Council members Terry Salfen, Peg Lampert and Patricia Robin.

City Manager Ed Carlstrom gave a power point presentation of the 2008 budget at the June 20 meeting. He explained all sources of revenue and details of plans for the future.

Explaining the general fund summary he said that this year it’s a balanced operating budget with $21.86 million in revenue and $21.81 million in cost of operations and there is a reserve of $l.75 million which is 8 percent of operations.

Included in the revenue structure in this budget are: $2,974,900 in licenses and permits (11 percent); property taxes $3,952,000 (15 percent) there is no increase for residents; sales tax $10,273,000 (40 percent); utility tax $2,321,000 (9 percent) this tax is on businesses only; and fines and forfeitures $2,720,700 (10 percent).

Carlstrom’s presentation pointed out that the city has spent over $10.2 million in street maintenance since the voters approved a $15 million bond issue. Another $3.6 million is planned in fiscal 2008, completing almost $14 million in street improvements. Additionally, $1.8 million in approved grants will provide another $2.25 million in street improvements into 2008 and 2009 at a city cost of only $450,000.

A capital improvement of special interest to the residents is a long awaited plan for an aquatic center. The center is expected to cost over $5 million and will be in operation in White Birch Park in the spring of 2008.

Anticipating considerable change in needs as the city develops, the city council has appointed a commission to develop a new comprehensive master plan replacing the present plan that is 10 years old.

Carlstrom cited plans also contained in service enhancements such as: restoration work to the historic Knobbe House and Utz-Teson House in Brookes Park; $200,000 for improvements at the Sports Complex on Missouri Bottom Road, original cost of which is offset by a $150,000 in grant monies; also $180,000 is allocated for two new park pavilions.

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