Mary Emma Evans is known for taking passionate stands on the City Council, but unlike, say, Elissa Yount and City Manager Eric Williams, she usually avoids putting her thoughts on paper and sending them out in memos. Monday was a significant exception.
Evans responded to what she has learned during months of budget meetings, culminating in Thursday night’s discussion of police salaries at a Finance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee session, with a one-page memo to her colleagues Monday.
The council did not discuss the Evans memo after a long meeting, but she said, “I do hope that the council will take into consideration this memo as it pertains to the different departments.”
Evans’ memo, under the topic “consideration of public safety/public works employees in adopting FY 2005-2006 budget”:
“I’ve attended the budget sessions and I’ve listened and taken in a lot of information. I questioned at a recent FAIR Committee Meeting on Thursday, June 2nd as to whether one or more Departments could receive a pay increase rather than employees Citywide. The City Manager said there is no law against doing this; however, discussion evolved about morale (while hoping to maintain good morale), I’m also hoping all would agree there are exceptions as they pertain to life threatening job duties. I’d like to refer to the Daily Dispatch article in Saturday, the June 4th edition entitled ‘Chief: Police Poorly Paid.’ The article refers to a $1 Million investment in training officers, only to lose them to other cities/towns with a higher pay scale. I believe these Departments are due an increase and I’m hoping this will help alleviate citizen complaints by boosting low morale of those employees who provide safety for all of us.
“With public safety being a high priority on the minds of taxpayers and with formulated various public safety groups (such as Coalition Against Crime, VOICE/Weed and Seed, JCPC and Gang Violence Awareness and efforts of the Clean Up Henderson! Committee as well), I’m asking the Council to take a serious look at the pay scale of both public safety and public works employees (as well as the concerns of these Dept Directors) and come together and allocate monies in the upcoming budget to consider giving a substantial pay increase to these employees (those who are in life threatening jobs … i.e. Police and Fire). As to public works employees, they are faced with dangerous situations as well such as severe heat, vicious dogs, speeding traffic and the like. I am hereby requesting a look at the pay scale for these employees too. I am asking the Directors of these Departments to present us with a plan on how this pay increase will make a positive difference in the community.
“Please join me as I agree with Chief Allen, Mr. Morgan and Chief Wilkerson and the many citizens who have made contact with me (and other elected officials) that this is a serious concern and it warrants our attention.”