The Metamora Village Council will be paid differently next year following action at the Dec. 19 meeting.
Following a suggestion by the Personnel and Finance Committee Chairman Justin Kreischer, council members will no longer be paid for extra meetings they attend. Council members are now paid $1,250 a year plus $25 for extra meetings attended.
In the future council members will be paid a flat rate of $1,800 annually, while the council president will receive $2,050. The changes became effective Jan. 1.
The committee did not recommend an increase in the mayor’s or the village administrator’s pay.
Street Superintendent Chip Vance’s monthly sewer stipend to remain the same.
The committee recommended a 1 percent increase in wages next year for Vance, Fiscal Officer Susan Clendenin, Deputy Clerk Angie Smith and employee Tom Bivins.
The council approved Ordinance 944, authorizing $502,600 Bond Issuance and Sale with an interest rate of 3 percent quoted from the Metamora State Bank with a 20-year payback. General Obligation Bonds for the purpose of refunding at a lower interest cost certain of the village’s outstanding Sanitary Sewer System Mortgage Revenue Bonds, series 2007A dated June 29, 2007.
The council approved Ordinance 945, increasing estimated revenues during the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2016, due to sale of bonds in the amount of $502,600 into the E6- 6I-171 account in the E6-Water-Sewer Debt Service Fund.
Due to additional volunteer hours picking up leaves, the mayor and council president agreed to increase Tom Carr’s gift card from $200 to $300. Council also approved.
Vance requested to have his overtime paid out instead of accumulating additional comp-time. It was recommended Vance use most of his comp-time this year, Kreischer said. Vance does plan on using 16 hours of comp this year, leaving approximately 10 hours to be carried over.
The committee doesn’t want to pay comp time, instead it will allow the comp-time to be carried over into 2017 and used early in the year.
The committee will rewrite and clarify use of comp-time in the employee handbook.
A resident will have to pay for an hour of Vance’s time plus parts to repair a broken sewer cap when a neighbor plowed the resident’s driveway. It is the resident’s responsibility to repair caps.
Vance requested authorization to purchase a new drill for $250. It would cost $187 to fix the broken drill. P&F committee recommended the purchase wait till 2017 and small tool accounts used. Council approved the drill purchase in 2017.
Mayor Wyson said the Fulton County Sheriff’s deputies spent a total of 50.5 hours patrolling the village during November. Officers spent 18 hours in the morning, 16.5 hours in the afternoon and 16 hours on the midnight shift.
Officers handled 11 complaints.
The Carnegie Hero Medal was awarded to Amboy Township resident R. Wayne Trivette in recognition of his helping to save Grace Makula from burning in a car accident in Jasper, Michigan, July 21, 2015.
James Pruitt may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com