WEST POINT — The saga continues in West Point.
The city”s Board of Selectmen continued its ongoing struggle to reduce the budget deficit as well as its trend of reversing prior decisions. The board concluded Tuesday”s meeting with a trio of flip-flops.
The selectmen began by again reducing the number of paid holidays for city employees by five, for an estimated savings of $30,000. During a series of four board meetings in December, the board first voted to take away five paid holidays before adding three back.
City employees lost those three again Tuesday, with Ward 2 Selectman Homer Cannon casting the lone opposing vote. But Mayor Scott Ross pointed out the projected savings will be reduced by every employee who opts to take vacation pay for those holidays, which are now simply unpaid days off.
Ward 3 Selectman Charles Collins then proposed city employees be asked to pay a 15 percent copay for health care.
The board had previously voted to require a 50-percent copay from employees before restoring 100 percent benefits the following meeting.
Ross predicts the new 15-percent copay will save the city between $35,000-$40,000 at a cost of $30 per pay period for each employee.
The motion carried unanimously.
In their final reversal of the evening, the selectmen rescinded a self-imposed 40-percent pay cut.
Ward 1 Selectman Rod Bobo, who introduced the pay cut at the last meeting, and Ward 4 Selectman Keith McBrayer, were outnumbered by Cannon, Collins and Ward 5 Selectman Jasper Pittman who proposed reinstating the board”s pay.
Each selectman is paid about $18,000 each year. The mayor makes $50,000.
“If I take a 40-percent pay cut, I expect someone else to,” said Pittman, who claimed certain city employees shared responsibility for the city”s deficit and should also be held accountable.
The rotating changes saved the city a possible $20,000 as the board looks to trim an additional $600,000-$700,000.
The board has until July before the budget is due, but Ross contends every week that passes without a balanced budget costs the city more money, which will result in deeper cuts or more layoffs.
Discussions over raising utility costs and sewer fees produced no solutions, and the conversation turned to raising garbage collection fees, which go directly to the city”s general fund, as well as collecting outstanding court fees.
McBrayer proposed a motion to have city employees opting in to vision and dental plans pay for their coverage but amended the motion to a 50-percent copay after the board was informed costs for the vision and dental plan had risen unexpectedly from $30 to $60.
The motion was tabled pending further research.
The board will meet at least one more time in January.
In other business the board:
- Agreed to participate in a homebuyer assistance program. A $250,000 grant will be distributed through the city and the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District to administer $14,999 each to 15 potential homebuyers who are approved by an independent lender. The program is geared toward low-income applicants. A public hearing on the grant program will be held Feb 2. at 5:30 p.m. at West Point City Hall, 204 Commerce St. A credit-counseling class will be held Feb. 27, for potential applicants, also at City Hall. For more information, contact Dorothy Ryland at City Hall, 662-494-2573.
- Agreed to participate in an employment program with Prairie Opportunity and Community Counseling in which the city provides jobs for Prairie Opportunity clients who will be paid at no cost to the city via an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant.
- Heard from Pastor Derrick Robinson of Kingdom Dominion Ministries and Pastor Steven Craft of Kingdom Covenant Ministries, both of whom are requesting the use of a building located at 314 Cottrell St. for the purpose of religious and social services. The board voted to form a committee consisting of Cannon, Bobo and Pittman to research both ministries, as well as two others which have requested use of the building, to determine who will be granted use.
- Accepted the recommendation that developer Roger Price be allowed to move forward with plans to build a subdivision on South Washington Road.
- Agreed to participate in the Statewide Mutual Aid Compact, which reimburses West Point emergency responders who are asked to help with large-scale emergencies around the state.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
