Robertsdale city employees to receive 3 percent COLA raise

By John Underwood / john@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 3/26/19

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The Robertsdale City Council approved a 3 percent cost of living increase for city employees at its meeting Monday, March 18.

According to an interoffice memorandum …

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Robertsdale city employees to receive 3 percent COLA raise

Posted

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The Robertsdale City Council approved a 3 percent cost of living increase for city employees at its meeting Monday, March 18.

According to an interoffice memorandum included in the March 18 meeting budget, the city’s chief financial officer recommends the cost of living increase based on the consumer price index.

The consumer price index for all urban consumers U.S. average (CPI-U) at the end of 2018 reflects a 1.9 percent increase, said Ann Simpson, Robertsdale’s CFO. The city’s budget includes a 3 percent cost of living adjustment, based on the CPI-U for the 12-month period ending July 2018, which was 2.9 percent.

“The CIP-U took a hit at the end of the year, due in large part because gas prices fell under $2 per gallon,” Simpson said. “Of course, gas prices are now about $2 per gallon and they are continuing to rise.”

When asked by council members, Simpson said the difference between a 2 percent cost of living adjustment and a 3 percent cost of living adjustment would be about $15,000.

The council voted unanimously on March 18 to go ahead and approve the 3 percent raise that was budgeted for 2019. All council members were present at the Monday morning meeting.

In other business March 18, council members voted unanimously to surplus items in the city’s Public Works Department.

Pubic Works Director Scott Gilbert said items included three back hoes which the city needed to surplus following the purchase of mini-excavators. The Public Works Department is also surplussing some scrap metal.

City Engineer Greg Smith also requested that the city surplus U.V. equipment from the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.

“The equipment hasn’t worked in a while, but we’ve been using it for parts,” Smith said. “We’ve gotten pretty much all we need out of it, so I thought we could surplus that too.”