OFASTAT OUNTY, 1872  TOWN OF ASTATULA MAYOR AND COUNCIL SUMMARY MINUTES  BUDGET WORKSHOP MONDAY. AUGUST 2, 2023 2023-2024 BUDGET  Having been duly advertised as required by law, Mayor Mitchell Mack called the workshop to  order at 5.36 pm. Mayor Mack led The Pledge of Allegiance.  Members Present: Mitchell Mack, Mayor Stephen Cross, Vice-Mayor Gayle Sikkema Orital Issartel Zane Teeters  Also Present: Graham Wells, Town Clerk Wally Hoagland, Police Chief  Thel Mayor opened the meeting wishing to address the "elephanti in the room" which was thel level of wage increases to bei incorporated into the budget. Prior to the meeting, the Clerk had submitted a proposal to council: fora ai five percent increase across thel board, with at tenure aspect of an additional This addresses the comments brought up by Chief Hoagland at the last budget workshop where the town should reward those that have been with the Town for al long time and supported it through the lean and difficult years. The report showed the existing rates of pay and what the effect oft the increases would be. The Clerk also provided a comparison of police officer salaries from fourteen cities in central Florida and where available, the salaries of Corporals, Lieutenants and Police Chiefs Although Councilman Teeters disagreed with the comparison due to the variance in populations, the Mayor felt thati it reflected the market and what our officers could be paid elsewhere. It was evident from the report that all our PD: staff fell way short of the minimum average. This was the area that Mr. Cross said that there was a substantial raise of nine percent. last year, and that from what he was seeing in other cities, he was recommending four percent. The Clerk responded that at a recent meeting of Lake County City Clerks, most were looking to five percent with one city suggesting the tenure bonus which is whyi it was used in the report. It gave an increase in line with the CPIand also Councilwoman Issartel said that with thei inflation as high as iti is, people need to earn a respectable wage for the job they are doing. She added that when she started coming to the meeting five years ago, the town was in a mess and those people that were there then and have stuck it out should be Coiuncilman Teeters said that he did not think that across-the-board raises were. fair as 5% to the clerk was far moret than! 5% tol Natalie. The two department heads are responsible to the council and  one percent fore each year ofs service, capped at fivey years.  at both the minimum and maximum levels.  the Mayor wanted to address. He opened it for comment from thel board.  rewarded those people fors staying at the town.  rewarded for their loyalty.  their raises should be merit based.  Town ofA Astatula Budget Workshop Minutes August 2, 2023 Pageiof3    Councilwoman Sikkema stated that government is not the same as private companies and typically raises were given across the board whether the employee is good or bad. She added that a good increase was givenl last year because we were soi far behind and that5 5% this yeari is fair, and the town can afford it. Shel had mixed feelings about the tenure element or whether it should be a bonus. The Mayor said that he had done his own research on the police pay and that this was the first time that the town had the money to address the shortfall inj pay. He put forward his own proposal ofa 10% increase to the Chief and the Clerk. He then added a $4.00 per hour increase for all police employees. Tracyl had already received an increase and needed to bel looked at separately. Hes said that he was not ready to commit to a Public Works Director but wanted to promote Scott to alead position and makel his position full time which included additional benefits. His payrate would remain the same at $20.00 per hour. Heather would remain part time under public works and be He: said that this proposal was bold but that the town could afford it. Itdoesn'tsolve every problem, but it does go a long way to reward the loyalty of the existing staff. Councilman Cross felt that he could not support the proposal unless an independent study was done on police pay. Councilman Teeters advocated a minimum wage of $18.00 for any position. Heathers wage was discussed, and the Clerk: said that based on the tenure bonus would it take her to $16.50 perhour. The Chief felt that increasing her hours to 32 hours per week with a 10% increase would be his suggestion. He went on to give an impassioned summary of what had gone on in the past with his  given more hours.  department and the necessity to reward his officersproperly for their service.  At 6:45 pm, the Mayor called a five minute recess.  When the meeting was resumed, Councilman Teeters said that he wanted a new sign for the police department, the town hall painting, and new carpeting put int thel budget. Vice-Mayor Cross said that theyh had not finished thej previous discussion and wamtadaninatpendemtsma, done toi identifyeach The clerk said that the report submitted was information provided by a cross section of municipalities and showed the minimum and maximum rates of pay. The Mayors proposal falls in line with the minimum. The Mayor called fora a straw poll on his proposal and to increase Heathers work week to 32 hours. Councilwoman Sikkema thanked the Mayor for looking at the raises in a Council members Teeters and Issartel also supported the proposal, however Vice-Mayor cross could not support it. Mayor Mack supported his own proposal, and the clerk was instructed to amend the budget accordingly. The Clerk then went over the changes that had been made to the revenues and Anamountofs5,000: wasi int thel budgetf formembership of Lake Economic Areal Development(.EAD). The program was explained by the Mayor and opened for discussion. It was decided to take it out of thel budget; however, an invitation would be extended to the LEAD group to address council on their  position with as scaled range ofpay.  different way which had not been thought of! before and supported his proposal.  expenditures in thel budget since the last workshop.  program in the future.  Town of Astatula Budget Workshop Minutes August 2, 2023 Page 2of3    The Mayor asked the Clerk when the Transportation, Infrastructure and Enterprise funds budgets would be ready for discussion. The Clerk Responded that he would work on them and bring them Councilman Teeter brought up that the Chief was doing the Public Works Directors jobl but was not being remunerated for doingi it. Hes said thatt thej position should bet filled, or the chiefbe paid for doing it.The Mayor said that! he was not readyt tol have a full time director at this timel but with thei increase in the new construction, the position should be affordable next year. He added that he couldn't fix  back atai future workshop.  everything at once and that the police pay was his priority.  There being no further discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 pm.  Respectfulysubmited,  -  Mitchell Mack, Mayor ATTEST:  Wells, CMCTown Clerk  D  Town of Astatula Budget Workshop Minutes August2 2, 2023 Page 3of3