2021 11 16 Minutes

Machine-read OCR text; verify every number, name, and layout against the original page.

November 16, 2021
Page 2 of 4

MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE

None

-7-
CONSENT AGENDA

Council Member Pelley made a motion to suspend the rules in order to make a motion to offer to the
City Manager an opportunity to resign or be fired. The motion died for lack of a second.

Mayor Perkinson advised that the following items were discussed during the recent study session and are
presented as part of the Consent Agenda. The recording clerk read the following items into the record:

a.) Approve Resolution No. 2021-38 authorizing entry into contracts for engineering services
for Athens City Schools (ACS) Campus and Downtown Traffic Enhancements.

b.) Approve Resolution No. 2021-39 authorizing the City Manager and Mayor to negotiate an
agreement for the sale of city-owned land located at 2115 Redfern Drive.

c.) Approve recommendation to provide bonuses to employees.

Mayor Perkinson asked for a motion. Council Member Curtis moved, seconded by Vice Mayor
Lockmiller, to approve the Consent Agenda as stated. Council Member Pelley stated that he wanted to
discuss items b.) and c.) of the Consent Agenda. He stated he did not want to vote on the Consent Agenda
in total. Vice Mayor Lockmiller inquired about the bonuses to employees. Mayor Perkinson, referring to
the City Manager’s recommendation on page 12 of the agenda packet, stated the proposal was to provide
full-time employees with a $500 bonus and to provide a $250 bonus to part-time employees. City
Manager Sumner noted this item was brought by a member of the City Council. There was a specific
amount of $500 for all employees. As was done last year, a $250 bonus to part-time employees was
added. The employees did receive a pay increase this year but in the wake of a 5.4% inflation, the highest
rate in nearly 30 years, it was the Council] Member’s intention to help employees with that inflationary
growth. The City does have growth in sales tax revenue to cover the expenditure. City Manager Sumner
stated that he did reach out to each Council Member for their thoughts and the memo was drafted based
ona consensus of the Council. Vice Mayor Lockmiller stated he would like to exclude the City Council and
City Manager. Mayor Perkinson noted that the City Council does not receive the bonus. Council Member
Pelley stated he would like to exclude the City Manager and Department Heads and see the hourly
employees receive $1,000/month. Vice Mayor Lockmiller moved to change item c.) to provide a $500
bonus to all full-time hourly employees, $250 to all part-time employees, excluding the City Manager
and Department Heads, Council Member Pelley seconded. City Manager Sumner asked Vice Mayor
Lockmiller if he would consider only removing him from the bonus and not exclude the Department Heads.
The City of Athens has never treated one of its public servants any differently than another. Vice Mayor
Lockmiller agreed to change his motion to only exclude the City Manager. Council Member Pelley
withdrew his second. Council Member Witt-McMahan seconded the motion. Roll call vote:

AYES: Curtis, Witt-McMahan, Lockmiller, Perkinson
NAYS: Pelley

Council Member Pelley moved to change item b.) to remove authorizing the City Manager to negotiate
an agreement and replace it with authorizing the Finance Director, seconded by Council Member Witt-
McMahan. Roll call vote:

AYES: Pelley, Witt-McMahan, Lockmiller
NAYS: Curtis, Perkinson

The motion to approve the consent agenda as amended was approved by the following roll call vote:

AYES: Curtis, Witt-McMahan, Lockmiller, Perkinson
NAYS: Pelley
- 8 -
ORDINANCES

None