The Flomaton Town Council approved its fiscal year 2019-20 budget that provides raises for employees, eliminated a proposed $5-per-month trash fee and set rates for residents using the dumpster behind town hall or curbside debris pickup.
In presenting the budget, Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., said raises for all but two employees were eliminated and the $5 trash fee was eliminated. He told the council it would cost about $30,000 to put the raises back in the budget.
Councilman Jim Johnson said he was in favor of giving all employees a raise noting the town recently passed Sunday alcohol sales to help generate revenue and is making changes on garbage and trash that will decrease costs and raise revenue.
“I'm for giving everybody a raise,” Johnson said. “They deserve it.”
Johnson also pointed out that the town is waiting on an opinion from the attorney general's office that may free up some other revenue from the municipal court.
Councilwoman Lillian Johnson made the motion to pass the budget without the raises and Councilman Buster Crapps issued the second.
“I certainly ask if we pass this without raises, we look at this in the next several months,” said Councilman Roger Adkinson. “I hate to get people's hopes up and dash them.”
Mayor Bondurant said if the council didn't include the raises the town may lose employees.
Johnson said deputy sheriff's are making a least $1.25 per hour more than Flomaton Police officers now.
“Police are in a different field,” Johnson said. “We ask them to work seven days a week.”
“We're not anti-employee, but we're not Brewton or Atmore,” Crapps said. “We are going to have to cut costs. I'll go along with the raise.”
The motion to pass the budget without the raises failed on a 5-1 vote with Dean casting the only yes vote.
Johnson then made a motion to accept the budget that included the raises and Adkinson issued the second.
“We are asking the people of this town to raise water and sewer and asking the people to pay these people's salaries,” Dean said.
Dean also said while Flomaton is not Atmore, Brewton or Pensacola, “We're right there with salaries.”
“Brewton and the rest of the people raise taxes,” Reardon said. “As long as I've been here we haven't raised taxes.”
Johnson asked why the council couldn't wait until January to give employees a raise.
“Last year we said we'd wait until April and it never happened,” Johnson said.
The motion to approve the budget with the raises passed 5-1 with Dean voting no.
