The Waycross City Commission altered the retirement plan for city employees during its bimonthly meeting Tuesday, August 13 in City Hall.
Commissioners approved the second reading of the ordinance to reduce the program’s service/age qualifier from 90-85 to 75-70.
The ordinance change had been presented in earlier meetings this year by Human Resources Director Marissa Hendrix as part of the city’s effort to attract new staff members with an improved benefit plan and an incentive for current workers to continue their employment. The commission approved the measure’s first reading at its meeting July 23.
Commissioners also had five resolutions to consider. They passed three, rejected another and took no action on the fifth when a motion to approve died for lack of a second.
One of those rejected was for approval of the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget. It failed on a 2-1 vote with Commissioners Sheinita Bennett and Katrena Felder were in favor while Commissioner Diane Hopkins opposed.
Because the City Commission is a five-member body, it takes three affirmative votes to pass a measure. Two of the seats on the panel are vacant pending the outcome of voting for candidates seeking the seats for Districts 1 and 5, respectively.
One of the resolutions approved will help address the city’s need for housing. It authorized Mayor James to execute a letter to the Department of Community Affairs to request a waiver to use its revolving loan fund toward the completion of remaining housing activities related to a grant previously awarded to allow for flexibility in funding.
Another approved the city’s contract with Ware County for Tax Commissioner Roger Collins to collect municipal taxes. The fiscal year contract is through 2028 under the same conditions of the one which expired June 30, 2024.
The final approval was for moving the commission’s planning and information session and business meeting from Monday, August 5 and Tuesday, August 6 to Monday, August 12 and Tuesday, August 13 as a result of the Mayor’s Declaration of a State of Emergency for Tropical Storm Debby.
The fifth resolution would have moved the commission’s work session scheduled for 5 p.m., Monday, September 2 (Labor Day and a city holiday), to 3 p.m., September 3 before the business meeting at 5 p.m. Action on that measure died for lack of a second to a motion for approval by Hopkins.
