East Ridge City HallEast Ridge City Council members agreed last month not to budget for a city manager until next year. They decided to take the money they would have spent on the position and apply it toward other things.
Then, two weeks later, they voted to go ahead and offer Andrew Hyatt the city manager job anyway. He will start on Oct. 21.
But the city needs money to pay Hyatt from then until the end of the year — about $17,000 over 10 weeks. So, at Thursday night’s meeting, the council voted to take $30,000 out of the East Ridge reserve fund to account for the city manager position. In addition to Hyatt’s salary, $4,000 will be used to cover his moving expenses.
The amendment passed 4-0. City Councilman Larry Sewell missed the meeting because he was sick.
Before voting in favor of the amendment, Mayor Brent Lambert said he wished the city did not have to dip into the reserve fund, which has about $5.5 million in it. In principle, Lambert said, the council should reserve that money for one-time, emergency expenses.