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Some street funds diverted for labor costs
By CAROL BROEDER/Arizona Range News
Nearly $32,000 may be available for training and raises for Willcox street-department employees this year.
The City Council recently voted 4 to 3 to allocate five percent of the one-percent city sales tax to cover department employee-related expenses during fiscal year 2005, which started July 1.
Mayor Marlin S. "Mick" Easthouse, Vice Mayor Roy Ard, and Councilmen Frank Petersen and Joe Long voted in favor of the measure.
Councilmen Phil Stratton, Phillip Rodriguez, and Elwood "Woody" Johnson voted against.
City Manager Gilbert Davidson told the council at its Oct. 4 meeting that city staff "feels strongly that a committed and well-trained workforce will translate into a more successful street improvement effort."
Davidson talked about the amount of staff turnover in the department of public services and works.
"The street section in particular has had a major impact with what they have gone through the past few years," he said. "Some of it can be attributed to retirement, but it's also been better opportunities for our employees to take a greater amount of money and they have taken those opportunities."
Esther McGuire, the city's human resources director, said Friday that city equipment operators make between $8.35 and $11.75 per hour. The city currently has three equipment operators whose hourly wages are $12.67, $10.66, and $9.21.
The lead equipment operator makes $11.19 per hour. Street maintenance workers make between $7.57 and $10.66 per hour, she said.
McGuire said information from the Arizona League of Cities and Towns says that, on average, equipment operators in cities similar in size to Willcox make $15 per hour. She added that city equipment operators in Benson make $20 per hour.
On May 20, 2002, the council approved a one-percent increase to the city's sales tax.
The increase was appropriated entirely for improvement of the city's streets per the Street Improvement Plan. The plan was approved at the same meeting and subsequently revised on July 12, 2004, Davidson said.
For the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2004, the three-percent sales tax exceeded the amount budgeted. The surplus is more than $103,000, said Jeff Palmer, the city's finance director.
"The repair and reconstruction of the city's streets is a top priority for the city council and staff, which has been reinforced by the adoption of the improvement 'focus areas,'" Davidson said, "The mayor and council have expressed their commitment to fixing the streets throughout Willcox."
Three street components were discussed as part of the background information prepared by city staff for the council's approval of fiscal year 2005, he said. They are equipment purchases, preservation projects, and new construction.
"The implementation of this planning effort is underway," he said, "However, the city recognizes that the success of the street improvement plan hinges on the capability of the employees. Knowledgeable, experienced, and dedicated employees are critical to the long-term success of the improvement plan."
"Allocating a percentage of the overall one-percent collection to employee-related costs will help maintain the city's efforts to improve the streets," Davidson said.
"Training, pay adjustments, or bonuses should be used to reward employees, thus helping to retain employees for the city's benefit. Continual turnover within the streets department is causing a reduction in the work effort."
A lengthy discussion ensued involving Easthouse, Stratton, Long, Rodriguez, and Davidson.
"I can't agree to do this," Stratton said prior to the vote, "We just went through a budget process. If this was so urgent, why didn't we do it then? I don't disagree with what you're trying to accomplish, I just think it could be done another way."
"We had a tremendous time trying to balance this budget," Davidson said, "It's easy to say let's take money from other areas, but where would we cut?"
"My biggest concern is the one-percent sales tax is going to last forever," Stratton said, "We've pushed a lot of shoppers out of town. Taking it out of the one-percent tax is wrong."
"Some of our employees we had on staff for two weeks," Easthouse said. "We need to use our one-percent sales tax that we stuck our necks out for. If we don't have quality employees to patch the streets, it won't get done."
Rodriguez asked if the public was told the money could be used for employees at the time the sales tax was approved.
Long said that he looked at the original ordinance and council meeting minutes.
"I didn't see anything that said materials only," said Long, adding that if the city doesn't use the five-percent for employee training and raises, "we might as well shut down our streets department."
The City Council recently voted 4 to 3 to allocate five percent of the one-percent city sales tax to cover department employee-related expenses during fiscal year 2005, which started July 1.
Mayor Marlin S. "Mick" Easthouse, Vice Mayor Roy Ard, and Councilmen Frank Petersen and Joe Long voted in favor of the measure.
Councilmen Phil Stratton, Phillip Rodriguez, and Elwood "Woody" Johnson voted against.
City Manager Gilbert Davidson told the council at its Oct. 4 meeting that city staff "feels strongly that a committed and well-trained workforce will translate into a more successful street improvement effort."
Davidson talked about the amount of staff turnover in the department of public services and works.
"The street section in particular has had a major impact with what they have gone through the past few years," he said. "Some of it can be attributed to retirement, but it's also been better opportunities for our employees to take a greater amount of money and they have taken those opportunities."
Esther McGuire, the city's human resources director, said Friday that city equipment operators make between $8.35 and $11.75 per hour. The city currently has three equipment operators whose hourly wages are $12.67, $10.66, and $9.21.
The lead equipment operator makes $11.19 per hour. Street maintenance workers make between $7.57 and $10.66 per hour, she said.
McGuire said information from the Arizona League of Cities and Towns says that, on average, equipment operators in cities similar in size to Willcox make $15 per hour. She added that city equipment operators in Benson make $20 per hour.
On May 20, 2002, the council approved a one-percent increase to the city's sales tax.
The increase was appropriated entirely for improvement of the city's streets per the Street Improvement Plan. The plan was approved at the same meeting and subsequently revised on July 12, 2004, Davidson said.
For the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2004, the three-percent sales tax exceeded the amount budgeted. The surplus is more than $103,000, said Jeff Palmer, the city's finance director.
"The repair and reconstruction of the city's streets is a top priority for the city council and staff, which has been reinforced by the adoption of the improvement 'focus areas,'" Davidson said, "The mayor and council have expressed their commitment to fixing the streets throughout Willcox."
Three street components were discussed as part of the background information prepared by city staff for the council's approval of fiscal year 2005, he said. They are equipment purchases, preservation projects, and new construction.
"The implementation of this planning effort is underway," he said, "However, the city recognizes that the success of the street improvement plan hinges on the capability of the employees. Knowledgeable, experienced, and dedicated employees are critical to the long-term success of the improvement plan."
"Allocating a percentage of the overall one-percent collection to employee-related costs will help maintain the city's efforts to improve the streets," Davidson said.
"Training, pay adjustments, or bonuses should be used to reward employees, thus helping to retain employees for the city's benefit. Continual turnover within the streets department is causing a reduction in the work effort."
A lengthy discussion ensued involving Easthouse, Stratton, Long, Rodriguez, and Davidson.
"I can't agree to do this," Stratton said prior to the vote, "We just went through a budget process. If this was so urgent, why didn't we do it then? I don't disagree with what you're trying to accomplish, I just think it could be done another way."
"We had a tremendous time trying to balance this budget," Davidson said, "It's easy to say let's take money from other areas, but where would we cut?"
"My biggest concern is the one-percent sales tax is going to last forever," Stratton said, "We've pushed a lot of shoppers out of town. Taking it out of the one-percent tax is wrong."
"Some of our employees we had on staff for two weeks," Easthouse said. "We need to use our one-percent sales tax that we stuck our necks out for. If we don't have quality employees to patch the streets, it won't get done."
Rodriguez asked if the public was told the money could be used for employees at the time the sales tax was approved.
Long said that he looked at the original ordinance and council meeting minutes.
"I didn't see anything that said materials only," said Long, adding that if the city doesn't use the five-percent for employee training and raises, "we might as well shut down our streets department."
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