Joplin council to consider 2 percent cost-of-living increase for city employees

May 04, 2008 09:47 pm

— By Debby Woodin
dwoodin@joplinglobe.com
The Joplin City Council will consider a 2 percent cost-of-living increase for city employees when it meets tonight.
Council members earlier discussed whether to give the raise, which would cost about $203,000 for the remaining six months of this fiscal year.
At an April 28 work session, council members discussed whether to grant the raises with the city changing to a “pay-for-performance” evaluation and pay system in which department heads receive a pool of money with which to give raises.
The council discussed not giving cost-of-living raises and looked at the cost of providing raises from 1 percent to 3 percent. Informally, a majority of the council favored giving the raises at the 2 percent level.
The pay-for-performance plan does not go into effect until Nov. 1, and it will be a year before employees get any raises from that plan.
A contract for the annual resurfacing of some city streets for more than $645,000 also will be considered tonight, as will a proposal to sell property to Missouri American Water Co. for $71,000.
A number of proposed zoning changes also are scheduled for council action. Council members will decide the following:
n Changing 1723 E. 32nd St. and 3106 S. Connecticut Ave. from residential to commercial, as requested by Suzanne Nelson.
n Changing the southwest corner of 17th Street and Range Line Road from residential to commercial, as requested by Jeff Majzoub.
n Changing property near Seventh Street and Ozark Avenue from residential to commercial.
n Changing property at 34th Street and Jackson Avenue from residential to commercial, at the request of Daniel Caylor from Freeman Health System.
During an informal session before the regular meeting, the council will discuss revisions to ordinances regarding privacy fences. The council is considering changes that would require that the frames for fences be constructed inside rather than outside facing a street so that when fences are repaired or replaced, the look will be consistent.