457 452 CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS= NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: Notice is hereby given that a Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Austin will be held on the 15th day of July, 1958, at the Municipal Building, Eighth and Colorado, in Austin, Texas, at 3:00 P.M. for the purpose of a public hearing to hear from the people concerning the wage increase; discussing paving and curbing of West Ist Street extension; and considering a change order for glass work at the Auditorium. (Sgd) Elsie Woosley City Clerk (Sgd) Tom Miller Mayor City of Austin, Texas ATTEST: (Sgd) Elsie Woosley City Clerk CONSENT TO MEETING We, the undersigned members of the City Council, hereby accept service of the foregoing notice, waiving any and all irregularities in such service and such notice, and consent and agree that said City Council shall meet at the time and place therein named and for the purpose therein stated. (Sgd) Emma. Long (Sgd) Wesley Pearson ($gd) Lester E. Palmer (Sgd) Ben White _ CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS= MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Special Meeting July 15, 1958 3:00 Ρ.Μ. Council Chamber, City Hall 453 453 The meeting was called to order with Mayor Miller presiding. Roll call: Present: Councilmen Long, Palmer, Pearson, White, Mayor Miller Absent: None Present also: W. T. Williams, Jr., City Manager; Doren R. Eskew, City Attorney; Reuben Rountree, Jr., Director of Public Works. The Mayor announced that the Council had held a series of meetings and discussed salaries and wages now for about a year, and that this meeting was a public hearing to hear from the people concerning the wage increase. MR. H. P. ALLEN spoke on increased assessment on two lots he owned, and listed a number of items he wanted the Council to consider: restricting the use of city-owned cars; requiring employees to live inside the city; building up water pressure inside the city before constructing mains out to Oak Hill; comparing salaries of department heads with cities of equal size of Austin rather than of larger size; studying the inequalities of a 6% increase to all employees. He made a specific complaint regarding misuse of a city car. Mr. Allen was directed to report this to the City Manager. The Mayor answered all of his questions and replied to his suggestions. Mr. Allen was asked to bring his tax problems before the Board of Equalization. MR. RICHARD WARREN, representing the union of city employees wanted to read a letter of July 15th, copies of which he had already furnished members of the Council. The Mayor stated in his opinion Mr. Warren would be negotiating with the Council on the wage problem. Councilman Long read the letter as follows and Mayor Miller was out of the room at this time: "July 15, 1958 "The City Council Municipal Building Austin, Texas "Councilmen: "The ideas presented below are the ideas of the American Federation of State, 454 454 ✓ CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS County and Municipal. Employees, Local 754. "1. The wage increase differential of 8,10 and 12 per cent for firemen and policemen while proposing only a 6 per cent for other city employees seems grossly unfair. We oppose this discriminatory percentage increse. "2. Based on the figures released by the office of the city manager dated July 1, the revenues from the tax rate increase of 144 of each $100.00 valuation (property) would produce $600,000.00. This would allow a 134 an hour increase for the city's 2100 employees that are paid out of the general fund--the (719) employees of the utility departments are paid out of the utility fund. (134 an hour, $23.00 per month or $276.00 per year) The tax increase goes into the general fund. The remaining portion of the $600,000.00 would also allow pay for special categories of hazardous wonk such as police, fire or high voltage linemen. The reason the Austin City Employees Local 754 stresses a flat rate increase is: a flat rate increase would maintain the difference between pay scales while a percentage wage increase would widen the difference. For example the director of the tax department receives $10,000.00 per year. A $276.00 would increase his pay to $10,278.00 per year while the six per cent salary increase would result in a $600.12 increase or $10,600.12 salary while a laborer making 984 an hour or $1,976.00 per year would receive $2,252.00 ayear under 13 an hour increase but under the 6% he would receive $2,094.56 an increase of $118.56 as opposed to $600.12 for Mr. Marshall. "3. The $276.00 per year wage increase would provide the underpaid employee with more money that a percentage (6%) increase until the $4,600.00 per year category is exceeded. The lower pay scales are the ones where an increase, a substantial increase, is sorely needed. "4. The idea of a 13% an hour increase for all city employees is in line with a report made by Assistant City Manager Ferrell Blodgett "Salaries of most city employees (exclusive of policemen and firemen) are 12 per cent below the average paid by other local employers. Few city employees make $4,600.00 "Austin City Employee's Local #754 hopes the ideas above are taken in good faith for they are offered in good faith and full appreciation that our friendly city can only spend what it receives from its customers and taxpayers. We wish to serve you, the administration, and the public, loyally and in good faith. "Thank you," MR. J. R. STUBBS, representing the building, construction and trades unions, spoke for a higher increase for the 924-984 per hour employee; and stated he was willing to have an increase in the tax rate to cover the raise in wages. It was brought out here that the fringe benefits amounted to 104 an hour. MR. LEROY HELFORD, Pastor, Holiness Church, and employed in the Water Department, favored increasing the hower bracket employees, and pointed out one particular case of a 98 per hour employee. MR. PAUL DEVOOGHT, 2009 East 1st Street, Water meter maintenance employee in the Water Department, wished to speak for himself and the union in objection to the percentage raise, and favoring an even across-the-board increase. He made a report on one employee who was ill and used all of his sick leave and vacation and then had nothing. The employee had been with the City seven years. CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS 455 455 The Mayor asked him, if the man had not received the correct amount of sickleave and vacation leave, to turn it over to the City Manager to check into. MR. CECIL D. PERKINS, Fireman, was appreciative of his position in the Fire Department and spoke on the life of a fireman and the hazards encounted and the inconveniences of the long hours on duty. He believed the firemen's pay should be brought up with the Police Department. The Mayor reviewed the reduction in hours as granted upon the firemen's request, while the Police Department kept their usual work week. It amounted to a 122% cut in time, and the Police were given a 72% increase or $20.00 a month. He reviewed the increase in the pension system, the clothing allowance, and the increase of $1.00 per month longevity. The Mayor went over the complete schedule of benefits to the departments. SENATOR JOE HILL, appearing on his own behalf interested in public affairs complimented the Council and Administration, but had no suggestions on the wage schedules. His suggestions were to cut down on non-government activities. He went over statements on recreation and on hospital records; and on airport records. The Mayor gave information on the various suggestions offered by Senator Hill. MR. BILL BURROUGH, Mechanic at the Power Plant, employed March, 1957, wanted to make some statements as an officer of the City Employees Local 747. The Mayor reminded him of the state law on negotiating for wages. Mr. Burrough, speaking to two members of the Council, endorsed the 13¢ an hour suggested raise rather than a percentage raise. (Councilmen Palmer, and Pearson and Mayor Miller not present at this time) Councilman Long did not interpret his statements as bargaining. MR. JOHN E. JACKSON, Fire Department, suggested that the Police Department be cut to 40 hours a week, and given an 8% raise; raise the firemen to the same scale as the policemen, and give all the employees an 8% raise. The public hearing came to a close. The Council discussed the West Ist Street extension paving, concerning using a permanent type of paving and putting in curbs and gutters at about $18,000 additional. Mr. Wolf Jessen, Architect for the Auditorium, submitted a recommendation for change order for glass work at the Municipal Auditorium, at a total cost of $14,000.00. After discussion, Councilman White moved to make the change order as recommended by the Architect. The motion, seconded by Councilman Palmer, carried by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Long, Palmer, Pearson, White, Mayor Miller Noes: None There being no further business, the Council adjourned at 7:00 P.M., subject to the call of the Mayor. ATTEST: City Clerk 456 456 = CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS APPROVED Jon Dulles Mayor