Corbin Commission decides against laying off police officers; raises garbage rates

Four Corbin Police officers in danger of being laid off are keeping their jobs, for now.

At Monday’s meeting of the Corbin City Commission, a motion to eliminate the positions currently held by officers Jonathon Dean, Kyle Gray, Aaron Peace and Lonnie Sawyers was put forth in an effort to keep the department within budget.

When Mayor Willard McBurney called for the motion there were a few moments of silence before Commissioner Ed Tye spoke up to make it.

McBurney then called for a second and was met for an extended period of silence.

Commissioner Joe Shelton explained to the audience, including the four officers who were sitting in the front row, that unlike the federal government, the city budget must balance.

Shelton added a mistake the commissioners made two years ago when they approved a new pay scale for the police department that built in automatic raises has pushed the city into the position, as it is a major factor in the police department exceeding its budget by more than $300,000.

McBurney previously explained that in an effort to bring the department’s pay more in line with neighboring departments, the new scale was adopted, giving automatic raises when officers meet specific goals such as completing police academy training or getting promoted. However, the problem became clear when officials learned that under the new scale some officers were making $60,000 or more, annually with overtime pay.

With the department short three officers at the time, overtime was easily available.

In an effort to correct the problem, a municipal order was issued in July 2013 to freeze salaries.

Shelton said Monday that even with that order, the problem has continued, forcing the city to look at layoffs.

Among those in attendance Monday were downtown business owners, Shea Hensley and Jason Matthews, co-owners of the House of S&J and Seasons Restaurant.

Hensley asked if there was no other way to balance the city budget, noting the police department is one of the city’s essential services and should be among the last to suffer because of budget issues.

“We have tried to cut back in other areas,” Shelton said.

Hensley and Matthews created a series of signs expressing support for the police, firefighters and public works employees that were handed out to local business owners. The signs were displayed in the windows of several downtown businesses including: Allen Galleries, Alley Stuff, Maggie J’s, Gibson’s Music and City Barber Shop.

“This is a big concern,” Hensley said of the potential layoffs.

Neither, nor the other commissioners, Suzy Razmus or Freddy Bruce Hodge, would second the motion, leaving it to die.

Chief David Campbell complimented the four officers, noting from the time they were hired, they have been among the four hardest working officers he has.

Campbell said the uncertainty about the future of the officers since the possibility of the layoffs was reported in The News Journal on July 2 has sent morale in the department plummeting to its lowest point in five years.

Along with Campbell, at least 10 other officers and several dispatchers were in attendance to show their support.

Campbell said with the four officers, the department is fully staffed, permitting officers to conduct more routine patrols instead of scrambling from one call to the next, and establish traffic checkpoints to look for impaired drivers, proper insurance and seat belt usage.

Campbell said efforts to find other ways to pay the officers’ salaries continues. Among those ways is a grant that would pay the salaries of two of the officers assigned to work in the Corbin School System.

Campbell said it would not be known until August whether or not Corbin is awarded the grant.

Before the meeting adjourned, Shelton apologized to Tye, noting it was a group decision by the commission to consider the layoffs.

The officers were visibly relieved after the meeting.

Sawyers said the uncertainty makes it a tough situation but he has faith it will be okay.

“We are just putting it in God’s hands and hoping everything works out,” he said.

Officials said Tuesday that decision may now involve just three officers. Peace resigned Tuesday to take a position with the Williamsburg Police Department.

Sams said Tuesday that he is in the process of looking at the budget again to determine where cuts may be made.

“I have to sit down and look at everything,” Sams said, noting that he may have recommendations for the commission when it meets again.

Sams added that while the city can meet its financial obligations in the short term, without some kind of action, it will reach a point where that is no longer possible.

Sams explained that the new budget the commission recently approved is approximately $1 million larger than the previous budget.

However, increasing costs in health insurance and other items have eaten up the increase in revenue.

The police department has been allocated $2.2 million, an increase of 5.9 percent over the 2013-14 budget of $1.97 million. That accounts for approximately 20 percent of the city’s $10.1 million budget

In that budget, salaries account for $806,110, with another $167,000 going to pay for health insurance.

The next largest expense is $95,000 for gas and oil.

“I will make a recommendation at the next meeting,” Sams said.

In other business the commissioners:

• Approved the purchase of a new street sweeper for the city from BB&T at the cost of $233,000. Sams said the old sweeper was beyond repair. The city is financing the purchase. The commissioners approved a motion to declare the old sweeper surplus property and place it up for sale on eBay.

• Approved the first reading of an ordinance setting new rates for garbage pickup.

Residential rates will increase from $18 to $20 per month. Households where the head is 65 or older and where the total income for a couple is $10,000 or less per year, the rate will be $8 per month. For a similar single household with an income of $8,000 or less, the rate will also be $8 per month.

Sams said the increase is necessary to help offset expenses the city incurs for the repairs and maintenance of equipment and the cost of “tipping fees,” which is assessed when the trash is dumped at the landfill.

Commercial rates are also going up $2 for the dumpster rental and $2 for each pickup.

A 2-yard dumpster will be $24 to rent. With pickup once a week, the monthly total will be $62. A similar dumpster with six pickups per week will be $255.50 per month.

• Approved the first reading of an ordinance amending license fees and other parts of the city’s alcohol ordinance to bring it in line with the state.

The cost of a malt beverage drink license will decrease from $800 to $200. City officials said this is a beer only license acquired primarily by charitable organziations.

A retail drink license will increase from $600 to $800 per year. City officials said restaurant owners/operators that currently hold a license will not be required to pay the new fee until the license is renewed in 2015.

In addition, the minimum number of seats was decreased from 100 to 50, while a hotel or motel with dining facilities may be eligible for a license if it has a minimum of 50 rooms.

All licenses will expire on May 1 instead of March 1. The current licenses will remain in effect until May 1, 2015.