Town council also agrees to spread $8 per hour to other water department employees
Recommendations from the Alger-Sullivan Historic Preservation Board regarding construction of a fence and storage shed at 402 Front St., that were tabled at Century's Aug. 3 council meeting, were approved at its Aug. 20 council meeting.
Century resident Felic Fussner met with the board July 31 and agreed to reduce the height of the wooden privacy fence from 8 feet to 6 feet, to submit a list of building materials for construction of a wooden storage shed and to apply for temporary use approval for a 90-day period with the option of renewing the temporary use approval for an additional 90 days, with removal of the metal shipping container no later than 180 days from issuance of the temporary use approval.
Town Planner Debbie Nickles presented the recommendations to the council on Monday, Aug. 6. Century Mayor Henry Hawkins recommended the council table the issue and said he did not believe Fussner had ever lived in the house on Front Street. The council approved to table the issue, except Councilwoman Ann Brooks, who voted no.
Even though the council tabled the issue, Nickles recommended the application for the metal shipping container 90 days temporary use be turned in to the Historic Preservation Board as soon as possible because the 90 days begins as soon as it is turned in. Councilman Ben Boutwell made a motion which was seconded by Councilman Luis Gomez. The council voted unanimously to approve submitting the application.
The Historic Preservation Board's recommendations were addressed in the Aug. 20 council meeting again and in a motion made by Boutwell and seconded by Gomez, the motion carried.
In other business, the council approved a recommendation by Water Department Supervisor Alicia Jernigan to eliminate an open position in the water department paying $8 an hour and use some of the funds to bring three of the town's current employees in line with what she feels they should be making.
Jernigan created a scale with pay grades and steps and where current employees should be based on their longevity and rate of pay and presented it to the council.
“We would basically be spending $8 an hour to give them each an increase to where they should be,” said Jernigan.
Jernigan went on to say she would like to suggest the council ask each department head to come up with a pay scale that would be appropriate for their department.
Listed were seven positions and what each should make, based on licensing or certification, service and experiences and how to determine increases.
“We're going to save about $25,000 a year, even with the increases,” said Jernigan.
Jernigan assured council members that she nor her employees would need overtime to do their jobs with the new scale.
“Because we don't want to make for it in overtime,” said Councilwoman Ann Brooks.
In a motion made by Councilman Ben Boutwell, and seconded by Councilwoman Sandra McMurray Jackson, the council approved.
Jernigan went on to ask about shared gas and water department employee David Morgan, who has completed his training, to be moved up a position and his pay be increased.
In a motion made by Jackson and seconded by Boutwell, the motion carried.
