By Tom Davis
Correspondent
DAYTON, Tenn. -- Dayton Electric Department linemen were voted a $2-per-hour raise this week, which officials say brings their pay closer to that of workers in similar positions in neighboring utilities.
City Councilman Steve Randolph supported the raise after decrying a proposal by Electric Department Superintendent Steve Clift for a $3 raise as excessive. He cited a report by the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association to support the $2 raise.
Council members voted down a motion by Mayor Bob Vincent to table the raise until the city prepares the budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year that begins July 1.
"It's highly unusual to make salary changes of this magnitude in the middle of the year," he said. "We are not underpaying our people. We pay a fair wage. We have people in the Electric Department who earned $75,000 last year."
Also this week, council members approved a request from Jimmy Wiseowl, representing New World Promotions, to use Point Park from Sept. 10-12 for a pow-wow featuring a Cherokee village and cultual demonstrations.
They also agreed to close a portion of Market Street on the weekend of April 17 to allow installation of decorative crossings at street intersections for the Main Street downtown development plan. They voted to apply to the Tennessee Department of Transportation to allow construction of an entranceway to the Rhea County Courthouse, another element of the Main Street plan.
Meeting earlier as the Dayton City School Board, members heard from Superintendent Richard Fisher that the school is expected to receive about $243,000 over four years in federal Race to the Top funding.
Tom Davis is based in Rhea County. Contact him at tsdavis@volstate.net.
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