Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The council approved a $3.6 million budget increase for temporary courthouse improvements at 1689 Regatta Boulevard, passing 6-2 with Bates and Butt voting no. The original budget proved insufficient for the tenant improvements needed at the Hall of Justice renovation project.

Council members voted themselves significant pay raises, approving a 94% increase for the mayor's salary from $37,200 to $72,000 over two phases and a 25% increase for council member salaries to $16,830 annually. Butt was the only no vote on both salary increases, while the mayor's raise passed 5-1 and the council raise passed 6-1.

The council approved 100 TASER devices for police officers from Proforce Marketing for $86,436, with Mayor McLaughlin casting the sole no vote. A new three-year salary plan for city managers also passed to bring management pay to competitive market rates.

The council approved 14 routine items on consent, including an $81,115 contract for employee counseling services and a $100,000 state grant for alcohol law enforcement. Other consent items included salary ranges for new positions and a $16,540 contract to remove trees at Shields-Reid Park.

Several new positions were created unanimously, including an Office of Neighborhood Safety in the City Manager's Department and job classifications for Environmental Manager and Neighborhood Safety Director roles. The council also approved green building standards for all future city construction projects and directed staff to seek funding for Port drydock repairs to clean mothball fleet ships.