Story by JEFFREY POWELLÂ
The Freeport City Council held their second regularly scheduled meeting of the month on May 26, 2016, at Freeport city hall. All Council members were in attendance with approximately 30 members of the general public in the audience. The Council did some heavy lifting right out of the gate when City Clerk Becky Padroza brought forth the Freeport fire assessment tax discussion. Since relinquishing the Freeport Fire Rescue Department to Walton County in January of 2015, the city has been paying the county approximately $155,000 in tax assessment fees. Freeport officials now want to return that responsibility to the citizens of the city in an effort to balance the citys ongoing financial difficulties. According to Council members this decision had to be made by June 1, so Property Appraiser Patrick Pilcher could send out correct tax assessment notices. Freeport attorney Clayton Adkinson surprised Council members by noting that this vote did not ensure the assessment would make this year’s deadline. The vote to return this responsibility to city citizens was approved by a 3 to 2 vote, with Council members Jennifer Laird and Elizabeth Brannon voting no.
In another hot button issue the much discussed decision to raise water and sewer rates was again brought before the Council. A vote was taken to draw up a resolution to raise water rates in a one-time increase of approximately 30 percent. The resolution also called for sewer rates to be raised incrementally over the next three years. The decision to raise the water rates in a one-time hike was to begin to build financial reserves much needed by the city. The resolution passed in a 4 to 1 vote, Council member Brannon casting the dissenting vote.
Under the personnel heading Padroza discussed current pay scales for city employees. Apparently several Freeport employees felt slighted when a new pool attendant was hired at a rate of $13 per hour when many of them were making $11 per hour and had been working for the city for some time. Employees were also discouraged by the fact that when the city moved their basic pay rate to $11 per hour, senior personnel did not get a comparable raise. Mayor Russ Barley admitted to the employees, several of whom were in attendance, that there was a problem and the city was doing its best to correct this situation. The Council voted to direct staff to bring recommendation back to balance the pay scales. Barley also expressed his appreciation to all employees for their continued dedication to the city.