City Approves Two Pay Raises

The Monticello City Council voted to award pay raises to Joseph McElheney in the water and sewer department, and Pat Kennedy, in the police department, during their regular meeting Tuesday. These two employees will receive these raises just one month after the council voted in favor of a hiring freeze allowing only approved raises after executive session and a vote by the council.

The Monticello City Council will begin their preliminary budget meetings today, April 10, at 6 p.m. They will also meet April 17 and April 24. They will draft the budget at their regular meeting in May. In June there will be public hearings on the proposed budget held and then the final approval is scheduled to be voted on June 19.

Mayor Bryan Standifer and council are urgently seeking members to join the Downtown Development Authority which is a vital part of downtown development. The board meets quarterly and is looking for citizens to be appointed in the next 30 days. They are seeking seven members from the city.

Police Chief Bobby Norris reported that there were 328 calls for service with 18 citations written in March generating $3,157. Everyone in the Monticello Police Department was qualified in firearms (pistol) certification as of last Thursday. This certification is done annually. The chief also held the department’s quarterly meeting.

The Jasper County Fire Department requested and was approved to scrap an old fire truck. This particular truck was previously sold by the city more than 15 years ago and has been sitting in the local pole yard be given to the fire department to scrap.

The monies from the scrapped truck will be used to restore existing fire truck #39 which they estimate to be about $5,000 which will be put back to Station 3 in Monticello.

The council approved $113,139 in monies from MEAG to be put into the municipal competitive trust as a year-end settlement refund. They also voted to put $2,789 from telecommunications into the flexible operating account.

The citizen that won the $100 and other donated gifts (a wall decor from Monticello Drugs and a gift card from The Monticello Diner) from David Wease for April was Barbara Whidby. Mr. Wease said he has received overwhelming reactions from citizens in favor of this incentive.