June 12. By Dave Vieser. If you wish to comment in person on the proposed 2021 budget, Monday evenings meeting at Town Hall begins at 7 pm. Just don’t expect to hang around too long.
While the Town Board and staff will be in the Assembly Room, citizen speakers will only be allowed to come in to the Assembly Room one at a time to provide comments. When their comments are done they must leave. Another option according to Town Manager Andrew Grant is to email public comments via townofCornelius@Cornelius.org and they will be read into the record.
Watch online
Additionally, the general public and media are invited to view the upcoming meetings via Livestream on the Town’s Facebook page and website basically, “just like we used to stream the meetings before the stay at home order,” Grant said.
For speakers attending in person, temperatures will be taken along with health-screening questions. Physical distancing will be observed while in Town Hall, and they are requesting that masks be worn while inside (masks will be made available if needed).
SISSON
As for the budget itself there is little controversy. The tax rate will stay the same and funds are including to start transitioning the fire department to a full time status.
Pay increase not across the board
One item which has generated some difference of opinion is the proposed 3 percent merit raise pool included in the proposed Budget.
MILTICH
“To clarify, not all employees will get a 3% raise,“ said Mayor Woody Washam, explaining that “some may get 0% while others that excel get a little more.”
When all is said and done at the end of FY 2021, the budget item can increase up to 3% but is not required to.
“Hopefully this can allow some of our really good employees to continue to catch up with competitive market pay,” the mayor said.
Commissioners Mike Miltich and Tricia Sisson had suggested holding back on the pool until more was known about the impact of the pandemic.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the board is also expected to approve a new four-year contract with the Cornelius Fire Dept., a routine matter which will not be impacted by the switch to full time staffing.
The meeting starts at 7 pm at Town Hall on Catawba Avenue.
