Emporia City Commissioners will have some major wage-related conversations before them in the coming weeks.
During their regular study session Wednesday morning, commissioners received a presentation from Human Resources Director Jo Lynne Herron regarding a potential 12 percent increase to the wage scales for city staff. According to Herron the city’s scales are “outdated” at this time and have not seen a significant increase since 2008. There was a minor increase of two percent in 2014, however, since 2008 the Consumer Price Index has increased 24.82 percent meaning the 2014 increase did not bring the scales up to current CPI levels.
City Commissioner Beck Smith says the city is losing staff to other communities and the pay rates are a major factor as to why.
Mayor Rob Gilligan stated he “would love to give every employee a raise,” however, he says wage increases are a balancing act. Gilligan says the city is responsible for its staff, at the same time he says they have to also be responsible with taxpayer dollars
Staff will return with more information on the potential increase at a later time. Gilligan says the city is planning to keep the wage increase conversation separate from budget discussions at this time.
In other business, commissioners reviewed a proposal for the termination of an incentive and compliance agreement with Renewable Energy Group and the related demolition of its biodiesel facility. The partnership between the community and REG began back in 2007 when the city reached an agreement with the company with construction beginning shortly after.
The Great Recession would soon follow the agreement halting the project with the facility less than half completed. The company has also cited frequent changes in federal biodiesel policy, including adjustments in tax credit guidance, as a reason the plant remains unfinished.
The Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas voted Friday to recommend the demolition to the city. Current plans are for the facility to be brought down to ground level with additional underground demolition work to take place with the city sharing a portion of that cost.
Formal approval of the project may be given during the commission’s next action session.
The Emporia City Commission will not convene next week with their next regular session scheduled for Wednesday, Jul. 7 at 1:30 pm inside the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
