Pineville Councilman Martin Responds
I’ve been out of town leading worship at a youth conference in Arkansas for over a week so I have a lot of catching up to do both in real life and in reading Lamar’s blog. Let me see if I can address some of the points made here.
“We saw that”, you commented about the additional 1.3 million in tax revenues and suggested it be put up for a rainy day (my paraphrase.) This additional money is from the 1/2-cent tax that is designated: 70% to employee pay and benefits and 30% to capital improvements. We gave a raise to the employees after the tax was passed, about a month or two before we started collecting it. Our amended 2005-2006 fiscal budget reflects that. So the 70% is going exactly as we promised the citizens. The 30% that goes to capital improvements is currently not being spent as we continue planning for a bond issue to do significant infrastructure improvements. (Elevated water tank, new water wells, new fire station, etc.) I hope we can turn that 30% (roughly 400,000/year) into some big projects that will help meet Pineville’s needs well into the future. Hopefully that answers that point. (But I’ll be glad to provide further info or clarification if needed.)
You also spoke of “the city councilmen who make $700.00 a month want to give the mayor what amounts to an extra $1,000.00 a month.” Let me address this. The article and references to it are the first time I’ve heard of any discussion of pay raises for the council and mayor. It has not been discussed among the council members or with the mayor, as far as I know. This was a surprise to me. Remember, the article does not reflect action taken by the council, simply comment made at the finance committee meeting by a councilman and a committee member. So it’s far from a done deal.
I was not on the council when the last pay raise was voted on (November, 2002) and I appreciate geoff’s comment that one pay raise in 4 years is “pretty conservative”. But as I expressed to the mayor this morning, I am not in favor of a pay raise for the council at this time. My personal opinion is that salary matters should be handled later in the 4 year term, closer to reelection time, preferably timed to take effect with the new term.
As for the mayor’s salary, I do think it should be reviewed on a regular basis. As I recall, the recommendation from the committee back in 2002 was for the mayor to make around $70,000 which Mayor Fields turned down. Now four years later, according to the article he is eligible for a salary increase to $61,000. I think Pineville has come a long ways in the past 4 years. The Council position is a part-time position and the pay is reflective of that. The Mayor’s position is a full-time position and his pay should reflect the responsibility of overseeing 250+ employees and a multi-million dollar budget. I would be in favor of surveying the salaries of mayors from similarly-sized cities to get an accurate view of what the salary should be. But I am opposed to a salary increase for the council at this time.
I don’t know if I’ve answered all the questions but hopefully I’ve addressed the major points. If not, let me know. Now back to catching up from being away for a week.
Sincerely,
Nathan
CenLamar 
If this is truly how the money is going to be spent, then I commend the work of those who are serving.
Your side of the river has a lot of potential to make Alexandria look like a bunch of fools. Keep responsibility in check, don’t elect fools and puppets, and keep growing.
It doesn’t seem like a bad little plan.
Plus, we get fireworks…..
Nathan. You are saying that you WOULD favor a raise or the Mayor at this time if your “research” says it merited? Wouldnt that be very dishonest to wait UNTIL he is reelected before considering such. Would it NOT be more honest to pass a raise that would go into effect AFTER this term is up and thus give the citizens the right to decide whether they want to vote for someone at that pay AND to give potential candidates a clear idea of what he job pays? I mean come on . You wait UNTIL AFTER you are reelected before talking about raises.That is just plain WRONG.
And what about spending $20,000 for firecrackers , calling it economic development and then telling us that “its a gift from the city to thec citizens” That implies that its something you City authorities own and thus can Give to us measily citizens who actually are the owners of the treasury. Isnt that very arrogant? We all know that you and Dupree are tied at the hip but honestly.
I think you represent the minority opinion on this issue. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to fund events that promote civic pride and community. A handful of people chose to take one word in a news article, “gift,” literally, and really, this is a nonissue. Consider the fact that the Alexandria Council paid a consultation company $100,000 to research the feasibility of a water park. What’s the bigger waste of money?
To the other writer, I think you misunderstand Mr. Martin. He’s suggesting that a pay raise should be considered toward the end of one’s term, timed to take effect at the point in which the electorate has ALREADY made their decision.
Well I think we share the opinion that the actions of the City of Alexandria and the consultant has the same self serving arrogance as this “gift” from Dupree
AND
If Mr/Reverend Martin Did say that then I am glad . I thought he was giving us double talk to make his general opinion about giving raises only applied to the counsil and did not include the Mayor. I think it is seriously dishonest to have an opinion that its wrong for one and NOT for the other.
Thanks Nathan for answering questions. Tell us about your former business partner and friend Rick Dupree. Tell us specifically about his education and work back ground experience. And what is his specific job description for the City. Is there a written Job decsription for him. ? Thanks for coming on line and answering our questions.
Nathan, can you also tell us about the state of the BMX track which has become an eye sore as we cross the river. Why was it built on a former landfill , how much did it cost and why has it been allowed to grow up into such a sad condition without ever being used?
And Nathan spare us the measurments and double talk. Please just tell us the truth.
It’s hard to do a line by line response to everything y’all have posted but I will try to respond to as much as I can.
Anonymous said…
[Edited for brevity] I thought he was giving us double talk to make his general opinion about giving raises only applied to the counsil and did not include the Mayor. I think it is seriously dishonest to have an opinion that its wrong for one and NOT for the other.
I did say I was against the raises for the council but was not opposed to “researching” the mayor’s salary issue. I didn’t intend that as double-speak. I see them as separate issues. The council is a part time position, the mayor is a full-time position. Both salaries are set by ordinance but I think the mayor’s salary should be reviewed from time to time to provide for cost-of-living increases and to make sure the salary is commensurate with the duties performed. I think the mayors salary should get the COLA (cost of living adjustment) each year but I don’t think our ordinance allows for an automatic raise without amending the ordinance. That should be part of the discussion. (I do not think council salaries should receive a COLA as they are not designed to be primary incomes for full time workers, unlike the mayor’s salary.)
I definitely agree that the timing of all this stinks. And my opinion still stands, that pay raises should be handled later in the 4 year term, preferably to coincide with a new term.
Anonymous said…
Thanks Nathan for answering questions. Tell us about your former business partner and friend Rick Dupree. Tell us specifically about his education and work back ground experience. And what is his specific job description for the City. Is there a written Job decsription for him. ? Thanks for coming on line and answering our questions.
I don’t know what to tell you about Rich. If you want his resumé you’ll need to ask him. I attended high school with him but I’m a couple of years ahead of him and didn’t really connect back with him until after I returned from Mexico in 1990. However, we are good friends and I appreciate his friendship. As for his specific job description, it is “Chief of Staff”. There is a written job description for his position, just as there is for every single position on the city payroll (including mayor and council).
I’m happy to answer questions and dialogue and I certainly appreciate this opportunity afforded by Lamar’s blog. If you have any further questions feel free to email me or call me: 640-4300 (office), 641-0987 (home).
Anonymous said…
Nathan, can you also tell us about the state of the BMX track which has become an eye sore as we cross the river. Why was it built on a former landfill , how much did it cost and why has it been allowed to grow up into such a sad condition without ever being used?
Here is the history of the BMX track, as I can best recall. Basically it’s a victim of its own success. It was originally created back in the late 90’s at Kees Park on top of the old swimming pool that had been filled in with dirt. At one point there were well over 300 kids registered and practice nights were full and race nights were even fuller. It got to the point that parking became a problem and the BMX track interfered with the city’s ability to rent out Kees Park Community Center so the city began looking for alternatives.
Several sites were looked at, including Jefferson Park and the area behind the VA hospital overlooking Buhlow Lake (once considered for a golf course). Finally the old landfill site was settled upon because grant moneys could be more easily acquired for landfill re-use. (In fact the vast majority of expenses for the BMX track relocation and construction were funded by grant money, donations and parent club fund raisers. I think the city paid about $30,000 but I’m not positive on that.) The landfill is covered with a layer of several feet of clay that serves as a “cap”. Obviously no permanent structures can be built there but cities across the nation are reclaiming these areas a “green spaces” for recreation, partly due to the re-use incentives.
The new site held its grand opening during the summer of 2003 and the track continued well. There was some loss of riders during the shut down of the old track, the construction and move to the new track, but the momentum began to pick up back up. The problem with the new site was it didn’t have lights, like at Kees Park. Once daylight savings time kicked in during the fall it became impossible to hold evening practices during the week because it was dark so early. Saturday night races became Saturday morning races.
We had hoped to have a grant for the track lighting by the fall but state and federal government is not known for moving quickly. So the parents’ club was asked to be patient while we went through the grant process. The grant was finally awarded in 2004 and Cleco installed the lights in September of 2004. Race nights picked back up and things continued well until the winter shut-down. During the winter when the rains and bad weather comes in the track shuts down and in the spring the track is rebuilt and opens back up.
As the parents club was getting ready for their 2005 track rebuild we were informed that we had won another grant, to the tune of around $50,000, for things like a cover for the starting hill, concession stand improvements, parking, signage, landscaping, etc. The City was informed by the state that no money spent on the projects prior to the City actually receiving the money would be eligible for reimbursement. So the City asked the parents’ club to hold off their reconstruction since many of the improvements would be covered by grant money. The parents club agreed, since a few months delay would mean a much better facility.
The spring of 2005 turned into the summer of 2005 and still the money didn’t show up. Letters, emails and phone calls chased the money and we kept being told “it’s on the way, just hold on”. The summer of 2005 turned into hurricane season and then we were visited by the ugly twins Katrina and Rita and all bets were off regarding the grant money.
And so the track sits there with a parents club ready to reactivate it as soon as the City gives the OK and the City waits to get final approval from the state before spending any money that would not be reimbursable. As I said at the beginning, the BMX Track became a victim of its own success. It outgrew its previous facility and couldn’t get the new facility online to continue the growth it had experienced. There is still a core group of parents ready to start the program back up, including my brother, who has served as volunteer track coordinator since day one.
The “just a couple more months” has turned into over a year. I do believe the BMX Track will be up and running again and I can see the situation from both sides. The parents want to do the improvements to the facility so they can get the program running again since a grant has been approved. The City doesn’t want to spend money that will not be reimbursed. And so we wait. I do believe we’re closer to getting the money but I don’t have a recent update. I’ll be glad to post an update whenever I hear one. Again, probably more than you wanted to know but that’s where it sits.
Sincerely,
Nathan