2008-06-23 Regular Council Minutes

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and he can interpret for himself. Mr. Price stated that Ms Ricci’s comment that this is my budget was wrong as he felt that it was not her budget and she did not own it. At this point Ms. Ricci called for a point of order stating that comments being made were personal. Mr. Price stated that it was not personal. Ms. Ricci called again for Point of Order which was not addressed by the Chair. Mr. Price continued stating that Ms. Ricci can go down this path of back-dooring these great employees saying they are not worth the 2.4 percent, that they are not worth the term policy that usually gets attached to group plans, and their kids are not worth health insurance. You can tell everybody that Byron Roland Price would never ever stand for that under no circumstances. He felt we owed it to our employees that they deserve to be compensated correctly and respectfully and would not be a part of a slash and burn strategy he is hearing. Mr. Wagner stated these are dire times in University City. In his reading of the history of University City he felt that we are in the worst financial mess since the mid 1930s. At that time that City’s fire and police had to take a 10 percent decrease in compensation and most of the other staff had to be put on part time. We can get there again. Mr. Wagner stated that bills have been asked to be taken off the agenda previously and this was not a new move. This was done because the ordinance and the procedure were flawed. To pass the bills as they are is not a worthy effort, lacking diligence on part of this Council. We are to do our job and call it as it is. Mr. Wagner agreed with Mr. Price stating that it was done wrong for years. He would be the first to raise his hand stating that the Council never questioned it because when the times were good, revenues were going up and rolling in, bull market investments were being made and the Council never worried about it. He felt the flaws in the compensation ordinances could be fixed quickly and would vastly improve and help the City in light of its forecast of a dire future. He felt the Council needs to quit sticking their heads in the sand. He appealed the request not to take the compensation bills off the agenda, to the vote of the Council. Mayor Adams responded to the budget of University City and said it was no where near the 1930s and if it were to be related to a previous year he would say the 1980s. He stated that the budget submitted is a balanced budget which included a three percent cost of living increase for the employees. The budget produced a surplus and was not a negative budget that used reserves. The reserves have been increased in the last couple of years to the Council’s requested percentage. Mayor Adams stated the removal of items from the agenda comes from the administration or the collective body of the Council, not individuals. He stated at the last Council session a couple of Councilmembers asked to delay the readings of several bills. Mayor Adams stated that he sensed the consensus and saw it, so he did not ask for the bills to be read and they were not removed from the agenda, they just were not introduced. He informed the Council in a study session that if it were not introduced, it would in all likelihood have to be introduced as an emergency bill, in order to meet all the time lines that are necessary for the natural system of the City to operate effectively. Mayor Adams stated that none of the alleged improprieties came forward during the budget studies. Ms. Ricci asked that it become part of the record, in answer to Mr. Price, her family has been in the insurance business for forty years, her father started TJ Thomas and she worked with Chubb Insurance Co in Chicago before becoming an attorney, so she knows about insurance. Secondly Mr. Price talked about citizens versus employees. Ms. Ricci stated she was elected by the citizens and this is where her focus is and the Council needs to analyze if the City employees are being treated well and if not, it