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Weirton City Council Special Session A Special Session of the Common Council of the City of Weirton, Brooke and Hancock Counties was held on March 21, 2001 at 5:30 p.m. in Council's Chamber of the Municipal Building. Councilmembers in attendance: Charlie Mitchell, D.J. Minella, John Moore, George Ash, George Kondik, David Cline and Christopher Fletcher. City officials in attendance: Melissa Farley, Joe Cicchirillo, Chief Fletcher, Gene DelGreco, Rod Rosnick, Valerie Means, Chief Cole, A.D. Mastrantoni, Brae Bryant and Dan Mastrantoni. Mayor Dean M. Harris led the Pledge of Allegiance. Harris said there's two items should be on the agenda. He asked for any communications. Councilmember Mitchell extended an invitation for April 6, 2001, noon to 6 p.m. at the Youth Services System at the Dunbar Center will have their open house/grand opening. Councilmember Fletcher thanked Chief Fletcher for sending representation to the officer's funeral in Aliquipa. Harris agreed. Harris entertained a motion for citizens comments. A motion was made by Councilmember Kondik, second by councilmember Ash. This passed 7-0, so ordered. Harris recognized members of Leadership Weirton. A motion was made by councilmember Kondik, second by councilmember Cline to adopt a resolution to approve the 2001-2002 General Fund and Coal Severance budget. Councilmember Ash said the municipal service fee is $2.3 million, asking if its been settled. Joe Cicchirillo said it will be on March 27th at 9 a.m. for a court hearing. Ash asked how fast the city can change the budget if the city loses the fee. Harris said council would then meet on March 28. A roll call vote was taken with a yes is in favor, a no is opposed: Councilmember Moore Yes Councilmember Ash No Councilmember Kondik Yes Councilmember Cline Yes Councilmember Fletcher Yes Councilmember Mitchell Yes Councilmember Minella Yes This passed 6-1, so ordered. A motion was made by councilmember Minella, second by councilmember Kondik for an ordinance establishing the salaries of the municipal employees of the various departments within the city of Weirton General Fund. Councilmember Moore said it seems someone could get14% in a raise. He thought the salary increases were for a year. Cicchirillo said it is, its not progressive, its for this fiscal year, and it doesn't come off. Moore asked if there was discretion to jump to the maximum. Means explained when an employee is hired, they're eligible every six months for an evaluation and a favorable evaluation means a raise for salary, non-union personnel. She said the person can work through the raises based on favorable evaluations. Moore asked why they couldn't give a flat rate. Means said there's different educational requirements for every job. Moore said he's been going through this for 30 years; the top man always gets the most money. Councilmember Minella asked if he wanted to give a low guy 6-10%. Moore said maybe the low guy will get more than 3% with a flat rate. Councilmember Kondik said it wouldn't be fair. Moore said he didn't have anything against the department heads. Councilmember Fletcher said every employee or class gets a 3% raise; it can't be adjusted; it's the fairest way.
Councilmember Cline recalled holding another government seat and alternating across the board and percentage pay. He said there's a difference in the classes of employment; inflation needs certain amount of money. He said the across the board suggestion can be mentioned the next time money is available. Cicchirillo explained varying degrees of responsibility, saying there was a crisis on Christmas Eve and Chief Fletcher, Chief Cole and (A.D.) Mastrantoni came; not everyone can be given the same amount. Moore asked if he could be compensated for doing extra work in his ward. Cicchirillo said council can make it an ordinance. Fletcher said its not a raise but a cost of living adjustment; council has a responsibility to make sure all the positions are competitive in government as they are across the state. Cline explained salary adjustments are linked to negotiations with unions; due to many difficulties, council has not had negotiations with bargaining units for eight or nine months. He said some positions and jobs were eliminated, creating money; he said he understands the contracts with the unions carry on. A roll call vote was taken with a yes is in favor, a no is opposed: Councilmember Ash No Councilmember Kondik Yes Councilmember Cline Yes Councilmember Fletcher Yes Councilmember Mitchell Yes Councilmember Minella Yes Councilmember Moore No The ordinance passed first reading by a 5-2 vote. A motion was made by councilmember Minella, second by councilmember Fletcher for an ordinance to establish the salaries of the municipal employees of the various departments withing the city of Weirton Water Department. A roll call vote was taken with a yes is in favor, a no is opposed: Councilmember Kondik Yes Councilmember Cline Yes Councilmember Fletcher Yes Councilmember Mitchell Yes Councilmember Minella Yes Councilmember Moore No Councilmember Ash No The ordinance passed first reading by a 5-2 vote.
A motion was made by councilmember Kondik, second by councilmember Minella to adopt a resolution for window and door replacement for Volunteer Fire Dept. #2 with Jerome Hagerty and sons at a cost of $9,600. Councilmember Fletcher asked if the item was in the budget. It was answered yes. Fletcher asked if it could be put in the resolution if the item was budgeted. Means said she usually makes it clear to council if it isn't in the budget. Fletcher asked for it to be incorporated in the resolution. This passed 7-0, so ordered. A motion was made by councilmember Fletcher, second by councilmember Mitchell to adopt a resolution to authorize payment to Steptoe and Johnson for an amount of $2,000 to review city of Weirton employee handbook. Councilmember Kondik asked what was wrong with the old handbook. It was replied the city doesn't have one. Cicchirillo said Means and Miki Marino have been working on this; a legal opinion will support it if challenged. Councilmember Moore also thought they had an employee handbook. Harris said there's an administrative code. He said its been a hang up for the administrative people; there's been employee understanding, but no handbook. Cicchirillo said Steptoe charges by the hour and had informed it should not exceed 8-12 hours. This passed 6-1 with councilmember Ash dissenting. A motion was made by councilmember Mitchell, second by councilmember Minella to adopt a resolution to enter into agreement to purchase four computers and two printers for the Wings Computer Learning Center from IDD Computer Center in Weirton in the amount of $7807.32. Harris said there's $40,000 from the BOC Agreement and this money will come out of that. This passed 7-0, so ordered. A motion was made by councilmember Minella and second by councilmember Fletcher to adopt a resolution to purchase a 14 foot backhoe for the public works dept in the amount of $56,570. Councilmember Moore thought purchases were going to be delayed. Cicchirillo said the departments were asked to prioritize what they needed; they needed this. Harris understood a backhoe was down. Bryant said its been down. Means told Councilmember Cline it would be a lease. Harris said he agreed, it should be on the resolution. Cline said it can be noted on the resolutions. This passed 7-0, so ordered. With no further business before this, the March 21, 2001 Special Session of the Common Council of the City of Weirton, the meeting was adjourned at 5:52 p.m.
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