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Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Council votes in legal pay increaseThe Socorro City Council has approved a substitution for a one-time salary increase for city employees. ADUNCAN At their meeting Monday night (July 21) in City Hall, the council adopted a resolution providing a short-term increase of $250 per month for permanent, full-time employees; $125 per month for probationary and part-time employees; and $80 per month for temporary employees. The short-term increase begins with the Aug. 16 payroll and continues through the Dec. 31 payroll. "Put it in the bank until Christmas," Mayor Ravi Bhasker recommended. City Clerk Pat Salome said the increase conforms to requirements from the state Attorney General and Department of Finance and Administration. The Attorney General's Office recently declared that one-time salary increases were unlawful because government bodies couldn't pay for work in advance or give more pay for work done under a previously set rate. The total cost to the city is equal to a 3.5 percent "across the board" increase. Finance Director Mable Gonzales said the increase is $25 more per person this year than last year. In another matter, the council discussed lending a city tent to Alamo for a celebration of the rehabilitation of more than a dozen houses on the reservation. Councilor Mary Ann Chavez-Lopez, who led the rehabilitation project as executive director of the Socorro County Housing Authority, said the celebration didn't need the biggest tent. Bhasker asked for an official letter requesting the tent. The city was trying to cut back on lending out the tent, he said. However, because a councilor asked for it and Alamo would use it, Bhasker wanted to allow the loan. Councilor Gordy Hicks said he thought the tent should stay in Socorro because taxpayers' money bought it. He also mentioned concerns of liability and possible damage to the tent. Hicks wanted to set rules about tent use. "I have no trouble giving it, but I think we need to look at it," he said. Bhasker thought a city presence at the celebration would be good. Salome said the extra pay would be taxed. In other business:
"Even after that accident, people are still speeding there," he said. Police Chief Lawrence Romero said his department could increase patrols and put out the trailer that alerts motorists to their speed.
Cindy Rivera currently serves as the assistant director of recreation as a temporary employee. The Transportation Department is to have three public transportation routes and needs a back-up driver in case a regular driver can't work, Bhasker said. Salome said the approval of job descriptions allows the city to advertise and hire permanent employees for what had been temporary positions.
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