September 4, 2019 at 4:43 p.m.
Council OKs salaries, budget
Council OKs salaries, budget
Salaries are set.
The budget will follow.
Portland City Council on Tuesday gave final approval to its salary ordinance for 2020 while also approving the budget on first reading.
Council members also approved the local match amount for the Jay! Region’s application for the state’s Stellar Communities designation.
The salary ordinance for 2020 calls for $2,000 for all full-time employees, including Mayor Randy Geesaman and clerk-treasurer Lori Ferguson.
The budget for 2020 is $6,208,159, which is up by 0.22 percent over the current year.
Council approved the salary ordinance 4-1 with Bill Gibson, Michele Brewster, Kent McClung and Don Gillespie voting in favor. Janet Powers voted against, emphasizing that she did so because she felt more data was needed.
“I think we need a legitimate wage study with like-sized cities and towns,” she said.
The budget, which will need to be passed on second reading at the Sept. 16 meeting, passed on a 5-0 vote, with Judy Hedges and Judy Aker absent. It will be subject to second and final reading at council’s Sept. 16 meeting.
Council members approved the city’s portion of matching funds required for the region’s Stellar Communities application at $1,523,543. Each community is required to commit to a percentage of local matching funds for the program, which would open the door to $38.6 million in grants and other funding for the region.
The matching dollars will only be used if the Jay! Region receives the Stellar designation in December.
Later in the evening, Pennville Town Council approved matching funds of $1 million.
Portland and Dunkirk have both previously been in contention for the Stellar designation.
“We’re hoping the reason we weren’t funded on either of those is that we were supposed to win it together,” said director of Jay County Community Development Ami Huffman.
Geesaman also reported that representatives from Indiana Department of Transportation will meet with local officials Thursday to review the Meridian Street. (U.S. 27) project through Portland. He noted that the meeting was scheduled following public response at the meeting with INDOT last month.
In other business, council:
•Heard an update from Geesaman, who attended the Indiana Cities and Towns annual conference last week. He noted topics of discussion that included attracting small-scale manufacturing, creating a community-wide mental health initiative, managing infrastructure, strategies for reversing population decline, the impact of tax caps and possible state funding for water and sewer infrastructure.
•Was reminded by Geesaman that the Jay County 9/11 Tribute Run/Walk will begin with a ceremony and flag presentation at 5:15 p.m. Sept. 11 at Freedom Park. The run will follow at 5:30 p.m.
The budget will follow.
Portland City Council on Tuesday gave final approval to its salary ordinance for 2020 while also approving the budget on first reading.
Council members also approved the local match amount for the Jay! Region’s application for the state’s Stellar Communities designation.
The salary ordinance for 2020 calls for $2,000 for all full-time employees, including Mayor Randy Geesaman and clerk-treasurer Lori Ferguson.
The budget for 2020 is $6,208,159, which is up by 0.22 percent over the current year.
Council approved the salary ordinance 4-1 with Bill Gibson, Michele Brewster, Kent McClung and Don Gillespie voting in favor. Janet Powers voted against, emphasizing that she did so because she felt more data was needed.
“I think we need a legitimate wage study with like-sized cities and towns,” she said.
The budget, which will need to be passed on second reading at the Sept. 16 meeting, passed on a 5-0 vote, with Judy Hedges and Judy Aker absent. It will be subject to second and final reading at council’s Sept. 16 meeting.
Council members approved the city’s portion of matching funds required for the region’s Stellar Communities application at $1,523,543. Each community is required to commit to a percentage of local matching funds for the program, which would open the door to $38.6 million in grants and other funding for the region.
The matching dollars will only be used if the Jay! Region receives the Stellar designation in December.
Later in the evening, Pennville Town Council approved matching funds of $1 million.
Portland and Dunkirk have both previously been in contention for the Stellar designation.
“We’re hoping the reason we weren’t funded on either of those is that we were supposed to win it together,” said director of Jay County Community Development Ami Huffman.
Geesaman also reported that representatives from Indiana Department of Transportation will meet with local officials Thursday to review the Meridian Street. (U.S. 27) project through Portland. He noted that the meeting was scheduled following public response at the meeting with INDOT last month.
In other business, council:
•Heard an update from Geesaman, who attended the Indiana Cities and Towns annual conference last week. He noted topics of discussion that included attracting small-scale manufacturing, creating a community-wide mental health initiative, managing infrastructure, strategies for reversing population decline, the impact of tax caps and possible state funding for water and sewer infrastructure.
•Was reminded by Geesaman that the Jay County 9/11 Tribute Run/Walk will begin with a ceremony and flag presentation at 5:15 p.m. Sept. 11 at Freedom Park. The run will follow at 5:30 p.m.
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