Waycross has targeted four percent as its annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) for city employee salaries after action Tuesday by the City Commission.
Commissioners approved a resolution that will adjust the pay of all in the workforce beginning in Fiscal Year 2025-26 July 1. The resolution was among six the commission approved during the December 17 session in City Hall.
The COLA measure was one of four dealing with expenditures. Another amended the Waycross Fire Department’s current budget for pay increases which will facilitate promotions within the department to strengthen its utility.
A third approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Georgia Department of Transportation related to the cost of relocation of city infrastructure for the Ossie Davis Overpass Project. The final OK’d the cost of repairs for a backhoe in public works.
The other resolutions approved the marketing and potential sale of land off N. Augusta Avenue known as the Scout Lake property. The last approved a rezoning request for a parcel on Victory Drive owned by the Waycross-Ware County Development Authority in advance of purchase by an investor.
In other business, commissioners approved an ordinance to close and abandon a part of Palm Beach Avenue right-of-way west and gave consent to seek contractor bids for repairs to the city warehouse damaged during Hurricane Helene.
Mayor Michael-Angelo James and all five commissioners were present for the final scheduled meeting of the year. The commission’s first meeting of 2025 will be at 5 p.m. Monday, January 6 in a planning and information session.
Resolutions
City Manager Ulysses “Duke” Rayford said implementation of the COLA adjustment will begin during FY 25-26 budget prep in the spring. He’s said he’s hopeful projections for growth in city revenue at that time will push the increase for next year to as high as six percent.
The adjustment in the current fiscal budget was 3.5 percent, a hike of one-half percent over the previous year.
The action on the fire department shifted $95,127 from the city’s general fund to cover pay hikes of $2 per hour for firefighters and drivers and $1 per hour for “bump-up” positions. Retiring Fire Chief David Eddins sought the additional funds to incentivize those already within the department to take on additional responsibilities thus increasing the utility among the staff and help retain its experienced personnel.
“I appreciate the city manager allowing this request to move forward and the commissioners being 100 percent in agreement behind it,” Eddins said.
The city has agreed with GDOT to cover $88,006 of the state’s work on relocation of facilities during the overpass work. Rayford said by covering the cost this way the city won’t need to fit the state’s project schedule to do the work. Funds will be from the water-sewer budget.
The backhoe repair is $10,110 to be handled by Dobbs Equipment Southeast, LLC, of Brunswick.
Interim City Attorney Huey Spearman said in researching the 36.29-acre Scout Lake parcel, it was discovered the land was surplussed by the city commission in 1998. It now will be marketed through the city’s contract with Gateway Realty with sale through sealed bids or by auction.
Before the 3-2 passage with Commissioners Shawn Roberts, Sheinita Bennett and Alvin Nelson for and Commissioners Diane Hopkins and Katrena Felder against, the timber on the land was discussed.
Hopkins saw it as an asset who’s value should be assessed and bid out for sale. Nelson countered that leaving the timber could be attractive to an investor. An appraisal of the land, valued at $36,000 at its last assessment in 2008, will be done prior to marketing.
Rayford said earlier the land has attracted investors holding a variety of interests for the tract.
The resolution on zoning changed the parcel on Victory Drive across from the Ware County High School Agriculture Center, from Industrial Park to C2 highway commercial. The WWDA was facing a deadline of Tuesday with the investor, President and Chief Executive Officer Jason Rubenbauer said in a public hearing that preceded the commission meeting.
Ordinance
The ordinance received both its required readings Tuesday in order to facilitate development plans in the area delayed by Helene. The request closes the portion of Palm Beach and its intersection with Marian Street with quitclaim deeds to adjoining property owners.
Consent to bid
The warehouse had 14 inches of standing water in it that damaged walls and more than $7,000 of inventory stored there, Purchasing Director Mamie Jackson said. The city already has spent $4,500 in cleanup with estimates for repair about $25,000, she said.
