[Marlin Democrat] - City Council takes no action on employee raises; approves health insurance carri

City Council takes no action on employee raises; approves health insurance carrier

By Denise Schoppe
Staff Writer

The Marlin Democrat
October 20, 2004

The Marlin City Council chose to take no action on setting aside $50,227.88 of the current budget’s projected surplus for potential employee salary raises at the Oct. 12 regular session.

The current 2005 budget has a surplus if $59,000. Part of what made that increase possible was the elimination of a 3% pay raise for all city employees.

If the money were set aside for the pay raises, approximately $10,000 would remain in the budget’s surplus.

The setting aside of the money was proposed to be used for pay raises based on employee evaluations. While the amount set aside was figured based on the 3% increase across the board, it did not mean all employees would get equal raises. Raises would be given based on recommendations made after the evaluations were completed.

The council chose to take no action on the proposal until more information could be presented on how the evaluations and raises would be handled.

In other action the council:

- unanimously approved Scott & White Insurance as the health insurance for city employees at a premium decrease from $264 to $196.

- discussed recommendations from KSA for updating the water treatment plant for waste water and distribution.

- unanimously approved a five year agreement with the Texas Co-Op Extension office to have use of the park pavilion for “Ag Awareness Day” at no charge.

- unanimously approved amending the Southwestern Bell long distance contract from 27 cents a minute long distance down to 5 cents a minute.

- unanimously approved delegating authority to the Mayor and/or Mayor Pro-Tem in the absence of the city manager.

- unanimously approved requesting free Local Government Assistance from the State Comptroller in which a team of professionals will come into the city to evaluate city processes and give recommendations on how to improve current procedures.

[Marlin Democrat] Column -- Rights or not...

Rights or not...
Nise Note's
By Denise Schoppe

The Marlin Democrat
October 20, 2004

Everyone speaks of the rights we all have set down in the Bill of Rights. Freedom of speech. Freedom of the press. Freedom of assembly. Freedom to eat Cheerios on a Tuesday for supper.

However, many forget that just because you’re free to say or do things doesn’t mean you should do them at the negative impact of others.

I had a law professor who explained it like this: I have a right to raise my fist and swing at my neighbors nose, but that right ends once I make contact.

That same idea can be applied to things other than a fistfight.

I have a right to play the stereo in my truck loud, but it doesn’t mean I have the right to infringe on others rights to silence. I have a right to call a friend at 2 AM, but they have a right to get a full night’s sleep. I have a right to vote for candidate A while candidate B has a right to tell me why I’m wrong in that decision.

Everyone has the same rights; however how we choose to exercise those rights can vary dramatically. We remain in harmony if we keep that in mind.

When I was in high school, I had a 1983 F-150. I loved that ride, and had a new stereo put in it. Extra speaker box placed behind the seat. I put a loud exhaust system on it. It was my baby.

Oh how I loved to cruise down the highway, radio loud, engine wide open. There were days when I couldn’t resist even going through residential areas, knowingly making a nuisance of myself.

Looking back, I still get a smirk at doing that. Once in a blue moon I still go hop behind the wheel of that ‘83 and give it a good rev of the engine just to hear it purr.

However, as I’ve gotten a little older I don’t see it as being quite such a cool thing to do anymore. How rude is it of me to break the peace of a sleepy neighborhood? Where I live, we regularly have someone come through with the bass up high and the windows rolled down. I’ve been awakened many times at 3 or 4 am to my windows vibrating as someone sat a few houses down being “cool”.

I don’t mean to point fingers at loud music; it’s just an easy example to use.

We all have certain freedoms given to us by our Constitution. But sometimes, just because you’re free to do something, it doesn’t mean you have to do it. Sometimes the right thing to do is to give up a freedom for a while, because it may allow you more respect — and as a result bigger freedom — later on down the line.