City employees are getting paid for 40 hours a week even though only 35 hours are worked, and the city commission will decide Tuesday whether to adopt an order that would change that.
Employees are working 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but are given one hour for lunch.
“In effect, you’re only working seven hours,” said Interim City Manager Jimmy Howard. “We’re going to need those extra hours to get the job done if and when we have fewer people, and I do believe we’ll have fewer people. This just allows for more productivity from my viewpoint.”
Howard is referring to the suggestion he recently made to the commission to layoff 30 city employees to help soothe the $2.6 million deficit the city is facing.
“We’re paying people for 40 hours, and they’re working 35,” Howard said. “It doesn’t make any sense to me at all to pay for 40.”
Possibility of increased fees
Commissioners will hear the first reading of an ordinance Tuesday, that if passed upon a second reading, will raise the 911 emergency service fee for city residents from 83 cents to $3.50, which is in accordance with the rates paid in the county and in Berea.
The current fee of 83 cents is tagged on to the monthly landline phone bills of city residents.
In March of 2008, the consolidated 911 board increased the monthly fee for all land-line phones from all Madison County residents living outside the limits of Richmond to $3.50.
It previously has been reported that this increase from 83 cents has helped to generate more than $750,000 in revenue per each fiscal year.
City may create 911 committee
An order on Tuesday’s meeting agenda, if adopted by the commission, will create a 911 committee to study all aspects of the potential consolidation of Richmond’s 911 dispatching system with the Berea/Madison County system.
Howard said this agenda item is not in response to a letter he received Monday from Madison County EMS Director Carlos Coyle that gave the city a Jan. 1, 2010, deadline for consolidating with the county/Berea 911 dispatching system.
“My intent is to try an resolve this matter once and for all,” Howard said. “Either we do it (merge with the consolidated system) or we don’t do it. I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do, but I hope we can come up with a recommendation.”
If commissioners vote in favor of creating the committee, those appointed will be in charge of finding the facts needed to determine whether the city would save money, but more importantly, be able to maintain the same level of service, Howard said.
Tuesday’s meeting of the Richmond City Commission will begin at noon inside the commission chambers of city hall.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 624-6608.
Local News
City may consider raising 911 fees
Employee hours questioned
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
Volunteers needed for equine therapy
The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
Arrest made in connection with stolen jewelry, computer
Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
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Voices of Berea business owners upset about upcoming construction on US 25 will be taken to the state level, according to city administrator Randy Stone.
Several people operating businesses along a section of US 25 gave comments Tuesday to the Berea City Council, asking them reconsider plans to widen the road to five lanes.
The design is a five-lane highway with a center turn lane and a 10-foot shared use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other side. -
Grand jury to hear copper theft case
The attorney for a man accused of stealing copper from a handful of electric poles questioned his identification as the same person who took copper from 32 poles two days earlier.
Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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