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Town approves employee bonuses
Published Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Maplesville Town Council approved bonuses Tuesday night for all employees who had worked with the town for one year or longer.
All full-time employees will receive a $300 bonus, and all part-time employees will receive a $100 bonus.
“Everyone has done a good job pinching pennies in every department,” Mayor Kurt Wallace said. “This is our way of saying we appreciate the hard work they do.”
Wallace said the town was not able to reward its employees with yearly raises due to the economic recession.
He added he was pleased, however, that the council has not had to borrow money this fiscal year.
“Our goal is to not have to borrow money,” Wallace said. “I’m impressed with our city. We’ve cut back in a lot of areas.”
In other business, the Maplesville Fire and Rescue Department elected officers for the approaching two-year term. Michael Abbott will remain the department’s chief, while JaMelv Morrow will serve as assistant fire chief and Christine Epperson will serve as assistant EMS chief.
The town also granted each fire official with a credit card to use for pre-approved fire equipment purchases. Each card will have a $1,500 limit. The department just received its annual grant from the state in the amount of $1,794.
The council also:
• Voted to purchase four cameras for the Maplesville Police Department at a maximum of $150 each. The cameras will be used to photograph accident scenes and evidence.
• Hired David Kline as a full-time police officer
• Approved $3,000 for the repair of streets and ditches out of the town’s road building account.
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Comments
Posted by pops (anonymous) on July 15, 2009 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wallace said. “I’m impressed with our city. We’ve cut back in a lot of areas.” I wonder if this includes stopping the practice of city employees cutting friends grass on city time, with city equipment??? Also, the town could probably save money by requiring the police officers to drive their own personal vehicles to work instead of furnishing them a ride. Most people who work have to drive their own vehicle to & from work. Why doesn't this apply to the police dept. I don't think Maplesville has such a high crime rate that it wouldn't allow them the time to stop by town & pick up a vehicle??? Or is this a common practice with most towns??? Also Wallace said, “Our goal is to not have to borrow money,” I guess that means they must have changed their mind about the borrowing of $2.5 million to finish the sewer project for the city. (And, remember they don't have even enough population for the dry/wet vote.)
Posted by TheDude (Michael Wells) on July 16, 2009 at 6:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
kw, Maplesville is home for a lot of nice people. You shouldn't make fun of small town America, especially our neighbors. Speaking of which, I thought Maplesville was a "town", not a "city".
Posted by 1oldman (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 7:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
with growth, maybe it does qualify to be a city. I'm not sure what the population requirement if these days. I know I wondered when I saw Jemison referred to as a city.
Pop, Those officers are likely required to respond to an emergency at any time. and while it looks like a big savings not to allow them to drive them home for a quick response it would require several more officers to cover that need. It often is used to prevent a large turnover of officers when the budget doesn't allow a competitive salary or in lieu of a raise when times are tight. In one city the Officers were requested to run personal errends in the city limits in their cars, they checked on when they left home and each place they left the care. It gave a much high profile and kept the crime rate down several percentage points until a new council saw it from a different angle, I'm sure th council has studied it and is doing their best to get the most bang out of their bucks.
Posted by juswannabeheard (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maplesville is a close-nit community, no matter what it's called. The fact that we are even getting this much information is amazing.
I am impressed though. They are a small town and they didn't have to borrow any money to make it through the year. All the things they are doing are well within thier budget, and they are even giving employees thier own version of a stimulus. You have to admire that kind of financial genius in this economy
Why is it every other city in this county can't do that?
I also want to say that I think it's a good decision to appoint Christine Epperson as assistant EMS Chief. She's a good person and has been dedicated to EMS service for over 15 years. Congrats Christine!
Posted by 1oldman (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 7:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
by the by, K.W. I bet there are a lots of nice people in this county that are glad they fail to measure up to your standards after reading your repeated cuts about the county and its people
Posted by pops (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 8:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
K.W. Hey, seems like you hit the nail on the head. Sometimes the truth hurts, doesn't it. And, yes Maplesville tries to be a close-nit community. I'm probably gonna be run out of town/city/whatever for expressing my comments. Just hope I can get that indoor plumbing so I can sell my house. Tired of telling everybody that the smell is coming from the cow pasture in town.
Posted by juswannabeheard (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some people forget that up until the year 2000 Chilton County was considered a Black Belt county. The only reason we aren't considered among the poorest counties in the nation any longer is because the Birmingham Metro board took pity on us.
There are people in parts of this State that don't have indoor plumbing, and others that took baths in creeks up until about 10 years ago. (and alot of those people lived here in this county.)
For those of you that look down on Maplesville for having cows right outside the city limits, be glad for those cows, the next time you drive up to a fast food place, you may be eating one of them.
Posted by pops (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
think I'll just go back to my double-wide and fry something
Posted by btalley (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 2:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just an observation, but towns, nor cities, can give bonuses. If you dont beleive me, contact the Alabama League of Municipalities
Posted by 1oldman (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Call it a bonus or longevity, same game different name. Drew one for 25 years from a City.
Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 5:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Keep on observing, bt.
Posted by pops (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 5:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
bt: that's interesting information. Can you expand on that further?
Posted by btalley (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 5:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm sorry for the typo, they cannot give bonuses. I think the M'ville council needs to consider looking up the state law before making a bold move like this one. I may be blasted for this comment, but I didn't write the law.
Posted by carol (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 7:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
pops, you must have something stuck in you cross ways or that grass cutting deal is really making you ill. You mad 'cause it wasn't yours they cut? You just really don't like us over here do you?
Posted by dixiedreaming (anonymous) on July 17, 2009 at 3:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A "town" becomes a "city" when the population hits 2,000 people. It could be that the Advertiser is calling a "town" what the Mayor believes now to be a "city" because of the anticipated population. If so, it should be confirmed with next year's census count.
Cities/towns can give bonuses in the form of longevity, recruitment bonuses, hazardous duty pay. Call it what you will. It's good to have a bonus, but a raise would have probably been better. However, many local government employees are seeing neither in next year's budgets. Some, like those working for Jefferson County, might not even have jobs.
Like the song says "you don't have to make a million, just be thankful to be working".
Posted by Onevote32 (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Noone commented on the hiring of the new officer
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