City’s new fiscal year will begin July 1
The City of Milledgeville’s new fiscal year begins in just over two weeks, and some potentially tough decisions must be made before then.
Milledgeville is on a July 1 to June 30 cycle, and city officials have been meeting in work sessions on an almost-weekly basis to resolve budget issues, the main one being salaries. Police Chief Dray Swicord has very vocally requested significant pay increases to both retain and attract officers for his department, and several other department heads have likewise asked for hefty pay hikes.
Milledgeville City Manager Hank Griffeth believes the salaries will dominate budget discussions and any overall increase that may result this year.
“I see about 90 percent of this budget process being about salaries,” he stated this past Tuesday. “If those get to where they need to be, there probably won’t be many increases anywhere else. While the police department and fire department have been the most vocal about the need for increasing salaries, all department heads will tell you that it is a citywide issue.”
According to figures released by Griffeth, the budget requests total just under $15.4 million, up seven percent from the current year’s $14.4 million. The current ad valorem tax rate of 10.12 mills has remained at that level since 2018, when council members levied a one-mill increase.
Griffeth has no number in mind now for this year.
“There is no target at this time,” he said. “Once we determine necessary revenue depending on what is done with salaries, we will look at it compared to some other revenue sources that may increase or even be new.”
Griffeth feels a variety of factors have combined to affect the city’s salary issues.
“The shortage of workers caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the increased salaries paid by the private sector to hire fewer workers has spilled over to public sector employment and appears to have created a workforce that is much less interested in the good benefits the public sector has always touted and want compensation levels comparable to the private sector,” he said.
“Additionally,” Griffeth went on, “work environments have changed dramatically, especially emergency services, and it is much more difficult to fill those roles. All of these along with inflation has just made looking at salary levels a paramount issue in this budget.”
He also is of the opinion that the elected officials know this, noting the numerous sessions they have worked on the new fiscal year spending document.
“I believe mayor and council know there has to be an increase to take care of salary increases,” he said.
Swicord has been adamant that his department needs a substantial increase in salaries. He said in April that he had 13 openings in his department, with others considering leaving due to the pay. He said then he is asking for a 20 percent increase in starting salaries for patrol officers. He pointed out that such an increase still would not make his office comparable with numerous county and city departments in the area.
Milledgeville’s annual starting salary is approximately $36,600, and a 20 percent increase would bump that to $44,000, less than the $50,000 or more offered by Baldwin, Putnam, and Jones counties.
The police chief remains hopeful.
“We are in (a) holding (position) until the budget hearings are done,” he said Tuesday. “I’m just hoping they will take my recommendations and provide that budget.”
Swicord also remains adamant.
“They, ‘City Council’, have to understand we will not survive, if we can’t come to some understanding.”
The mayor and council met this past Tuesday and will convene another work session next Tuesday before the scheduled June 27 vote on the budget that will go into effect just four days later.