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Peter Kotses and City Council President Chris Knisely before an Athens City Council Meeting on Monday, August 27, 2018.

City Council: Members amend fringe benefits package, suspend and adopt ordinance to rid of city vehicles no longer needed

The Athens City Council filed a motion at Monday night’s meeting to amend an ordinance adopting a fringe benefits package for non-union personnel within the city. 

Councilman Kent Butler, D-1st Ward, proposed the amendments of the ordinance’s third reading, suggesting benefits for non-unionized workers be increased. The amendment would increase vacation and overtime pay from 1.5 to 1.7 percent for the captains of the fire department, said City Council President Chris Knisely. 

Concern regarding the ordinance came from the differences between unionized and non-unionized pay. The council is not aware of any other benefits present to fire captains who are involved in a non-union contract.

Overall, the increase will amount to $5,640 in savings, Councilman Butler said. Big picture, the amendment isn’t a big deal to the general fund of the city, said Athens City Law Director Lisa Eliason. 

“In general, we need to watch the fund budget,” Eliason said. “Even with the tax increase we’ve put into place, there are a lot of people employed under the general fund ... Things are going to be tight.”

City Council also adopted an ordinance regarding vehicles that are no longer needed for a municipal purpose. 

There have been challenges with parking space with an overabundance of these confiscated vehicles, Butler said. 

The confiscated vehicles were held in an impound lot and a court order was filed by the Athens City Law Director’s office to remove them. More cars will be removed in the future once more vehicles are under a city title.  

Anything not suspended under the second reading will be carried on into the first business meeting of 2019, Knisely said. 

@logan_rmoore

lm849615@ohio.edu 

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