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Home My WebLink About11/08/1940 Meeting ~ 381 r ~ ~. -- - - --_.- -- -- - -- - ~ ~ - -- - -- _..-._- NOTICE OF SPECIAL 1lliETING To the Members of the Coramon Council of the City of Eugene.: ~ I yp , ........ You are hereby notified that a special meeting of the Common Council of th '...."" City of Eugene will be held in the Council Chambers in the City Hall at 7:30 o'clock p.m. of Friday, November 8, 1940 for the purpose of the consideration of an adoption of the annual city budget for the year 1941. /s/ Elisha Large, 1V1ayor I * * * * * * * * * * * * * Council Chambers, Eugene, Oregon November 8, 1940 The taxpayers' meeting was called to order by Mayor Large with an announce ment that the purpose of this meeting was to receive comments and recommendations from the taxpayers on the proposed budget for 1941. All members of the Budget Cooonittee were present with the exception of Councilman I. O. Stewart. Mr. Frank Reid, local ,attorney, made a request in behalf of the employees that the regular scale progrmn as put into operation three years ago be continued and the advertised budget be amended by the council sitting as the levying board, t include the salary raises. Mr. Dan Driscoll, representing various railroad groups, made a plea for the continued scale program and thereby the amending of the advertised budget by council sitting as a levying board to include the proposed changes. Mr. Frank Caslunan spoke briefly recommending general raises for the I employees. IvJ.r . P. J. Hagns pointed out that this would be less than a one-half mill increase an~ inasmuch as the taxpayers were not worrying about additional taxes and vyould vote ~p50, 000 for the purchase of an airport and swimming pool that the city should have no objections to. giving its employees proper salaries. The City Recorder presented a letter from Mr. J. T. Foreman asking for raises for the city employees. Mr. H~nns spoke again stating that raises should be general, including all employees. Mr. Stanley Stevenson, member of the citizen budget cooonittee, felt that t citizen members were not sure just what had been done in the matter of salaries but he favored salary raises in the lower brackets. He also raised the question of paying the playground director $200 a month when he did regular work for only three months of the year and the other nine months did something else when we didn't pay the heads of the departments that amount. Mr. Fay -Bennett, member of the citizen budget committee, spoke in behalf of general raises for all employees. Tom Campbell addressed the group pointing out that food costs were going up and he was in favor of raising salaries of all those in lower brackets. I Former Councilman C. C. Page addressed the group wanting those in the very low brackets raised to ~125.00. Mayor Large stated it didn't seem logical to him after citizen members had made recommendations that this matter should be placed upon the shoulders of the council. Mr. A. L. Hawn addrssed the group recommending a general raise for all I employees. Councilman Farrington stated that the pleas that had been made in behalf of a general raise should be set aside and he was against changing the advertised budge . Councilman Carlson stated he was not asking a reduction of anyone's salary but if the city pays the Playground Director ~~200 a month it should include al~ other department heads at $200 and he felt that,all other emp:;Loyees should. be glven a regular scale pay. Certainly the taxpayers were not going to worry about ~ess tha 1/2 mill if they rmd approved the swiwning pool and a~rport ~easures. ~ouncllman Carlson stated it was his belief that all budget commlttees In the future would be faced vc'i th this salary program until this salary scale was adopted and adhered to. ~ rs82 - ~ --- h And even though it was not a technical obligation the city owed a moral obligation to its employees. Since he had been a member of the council any departnlentsOhe ~; had been placed in charge of, he had considered those employees the same as I C; being employed in h~s own business and he sincerely believed in keeping faith with . -;'!;.I them. He made a sincere plea for the Connnon Council sitting as a levying board to fG amend the proposed budget to include the salary scale program. He stated that as far as this matter was being referred to the council it was the council's duty to consider the request and that for himself he would not hesitate to accept'his share of the responsibility in granting a general raise on the scale basis. Councilman Brownson stated it was his opinion that the council should keep its moral obligation and adopt the scale program. There should be no hedging I on the part of the members of the council. It was his further opinion that in view of the recent vote the taxpayers would have no objections. - County Judge Clinton Hurd addressed the group stating he was in favor of good wages and he was in favor of having men in employment of the people that would render the work for which they were being pa'id and he believed you received just exactly villat you paid for. Mr. C. P. Tillman addressed the group stating that citizen members of the budget committee had not had suffiecient time for proper consideration but if the city could afford to pay for an airport and swimming pool they could afford better salaries. In closing, he wished the matter made a record that if the scale program had been put into effect then the employers should keep faith with the employees and grant this program. NIT. Fred Lamb spoke briefly stating he felt the salaries should be decided upon on an individual basis but he was in favor of granting amise in salaries, particularly in lower bradkets. Councilman Carlson stated he would recoDmlend raises for all people except the City Recorder and the City Engineer. Councilman bond said if others deserved a raise, the City Engineer should be given a raise also. Councilman Barette stated that if the City Engineer should have a raise I the others shoul& have a raise. Stanley Stevenson stated he was not satisfied with the procedure and recownended going over the entire budbet and consider the employees indicidually. Question was raised as to the adjournment of this meeting to meet at a future date at which time the citizen members would sit as advisors to the council for the purpo e of going into the .salary program to see if it couldn'~ be ironed out. Stanley Stevenson presented a recolmnendation from the citizen ~embers as follows: . We the undersigned citizen members of the 1941 City Budget Committee wish to commend the Mayor, Recorder, and City Council for their economical management of the city affairs and for their determination to eliminate city's bonded indebtedness. We also desire to make the following recoramendations which we believe will result in more efficient budget making and city government. First: That the Budget Cormnittee be appointed at least ninety days prior to the time for advertising the budget. Second: That more complete information be furnished the budget cowai t tee together "lid th the recommenda tionE(o f the counc il. I Third: That a con~ittee be appointed by the Mayor to make studies and recommend, if found advisable, some form of city management for the City of Eugene. /s/ F. M. Bennett /s/ C. P. Tillman /s/ J. E. Turnbull /s/ L. M. Watson /s/ S. R. Stevenson /s/ F. E. Lamb I /s/ Geo. J. Wilhelm A Motion was made and seconded to adjourn this special meetin?nof ~he CODmlOn Council and the taxpayers meeting until viednesday, November 13, at 7.00 0 clock p.m. and it was so ordered. C. M. Bryan, City Recorder ~ ( I ~