Burgin City Council Approves $1.7 Budget; Tables Annexation Vote
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Robert Moore
Herald Staff
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The Burgin City Council has approved a $1.75 million budget for the new fiscal year, which starts July 1. The council also tabled taking any action on a controversial property annexation.
At their regular meeting on Tuesday, June 9, the council unanimously voted for the budget. Councilman Scott McCoy noted the budget included $85,000 for salaries, which included employee raises of up to five percent.
Councilman Sindicat “Sid” Dunn asked if they had performed employee evaluations for the raises. Dunn said they’d discussed performing evaluations before bestowing raises during last year’s budget talks.
Mayor Jamie Keebortz said they had not set an evaluation schedule. Keebortz said the council had to change the personnel ordinance, but the amended ordinance had been tabled.
“It has to be your all’s consensus on how it’s done,” Keebortz said. “It’s up to you all, whatever you want to do.”
“It’s very awkward,” said Councilwoman Melinda Wofford. Wofford said she had worked on policy and nothing was done.
Dunn moved to give a four percent raise. His motion failed for lack of a second, and he withdrew it.
McCoy moved to give the five percent raise as reflected in the current budget, which was seconded by Councilman Kevin Wallace. McCoy’s motion passed five to one, with Wofford voting no.
“I think that just to oversee the taxpayers’ money, we don’t need to shell out that much money,” Wofford said.
Keebortz said the sale of alcohol taxes will offset at least 20 percent of the payroll. Angela Stewart, who serves as the friendly little city’s clerk and treasurer, is also serving as ABC coordinator.
“I get one pay for it all,” Stewart said.
Mayor Keebortz said they have to be diligent to move the alcohol tax money, which is limited under state law in how it can be spent, to cover payroll.
While the budget was the biggest item the council approved Tuesday night, the most-discussed item on the agenda was the annexation of property at 225 Curdsville Road. A large number of people who sought to attend the council meeting were forced to listen to a loudspeaker instead as the council discussed the annexation with owner Jody Langston.
