Apr. 22—Full-time employees with the city of Berea will now be awarded for their service through a longevity award program approved Tuesday.
In Municipal Order 04-2021, the city believes that officers and employees of the city deserve recognitions for their “talents, their value, their accomplishments and successes over the course of their career at the city.”
During the meeting, the Longevity Award Program was established unanimously and provides a policy of providing financial length of service awards to employees for five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of employment.
Effective upon passage, any full-time employee with the city of Berea who attains a five year anniversary will receive $500. For 10 years service, a person would receive $1,000. For 15 years service, an employee would receive $1,500 and $2,000 for 20 years service. The final service award is for 25 years, in the amount of $2,500.
For this fiscal year, it would be around $30,000 allocated for this program.
City Administrator David Gregory said people would not be eligible for the raise until the next five-year anniversary hire date. Each bonus is subject to federal, state and city taxes and is subject to all withholding procedures.
Some council members discussed that, with the removal of taxes, that people would not be getting a “true bonus,” and shared the idea to bump up the amount in a work session held before the vote.
However, Council member Jerry Lewis shared, while he wished they could pay everyone more, the city had to bear in mind their revenues and expenditures.
“What we need to look at is the numbers to see if we can afford it,” he said. “I am for (the bonus), if we can afford it.”
Other business:
—The Berea Dog Park is officially named Tillie Park off-leash dog area after the Berea City Council unanimously approved the ordinance.
—Two bids were received for interior and exterior work to be done on the Russel Acton Folk Center. One was from Justin’s Pressure Washing of Berea in the amount of $19,307.50. The second was from Jacob’s Ladder Caulking of Manchester, Kentucky in the amount of $60,833 and includes interior, exterior, wash and stain, stripper and boom lift rental. The bids were referred to the city administrator for recommendation.
—Utilities Manager Kevin Howard recommended the council accept a bid from Rawdon Myers Inc. of Milford, Ohio in the amount of $54,401for the Roberts Filter and Aqua Daf integration upgrade at the Water Treatment Plant
—Mike Cornelison was approved for an appointment on the city’s Ethics Board.
—Ordinance 07-2021 was approved in the second reading for expectations regarding sanitation and restraint of dogs in the city’s upcoming dog park. The ordinance strikes the former language and adds new wording to make these topics more clear.
—Resolution 08-2021 was unanimously approved. This document allows Berea Mayor Bruce Fraley to apply for a grant agreement for the Central Kentucky Regional Airport through the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program.
—Work is continuing with the Chestnut Street Pavillion, with a structure expected to be delivered on April 30.
—A total of $10,000 was awarded to small businesses in the city including Starry Eyes Studio, Noodle Nirvana, Brandi’s Bakery, Weston Glass, and Happy Jacks.
The next Berea City Council meeting will be scheduled for May 4 at 6 p.m. It will be broadcast online on the city’s Facebook page.