The threat of litigation against the city of Conway by one or more of its employees has hung in the air for the past few months, especially when the mayor lobbied for a rededication of the sales tax in February. The lawsuit has happened, coming from Conway Police Officer Richard Shumate, Jr. and Conway Firefighter Damon Reed.
The two argue that the sales tax formed back in 2001 was originally meant for city employee salaries, but employees have not been able to receive raises for the past four years.
With the latest rededication, which was passed easily, the city gave bonuses of approximately $1,000 to city employees. Conway Mayor Tab Townsell admitted that the city did not have the ability to address employee raises this year, but he said he wants to do so when the city is able to increase its revenue through the rededication.
“We will have more flexibility next year,” Townsell said in February. “Remember the numbers we have been getting have just started this past May.”
When promoting the most recent rededication, Townsell admitted that the council had made mistakes with funds in the past years. Most who questioned the new tax rededication asked where the money would come from for promised salary increases. Most of the money this time has gone toward equipment and general fund.
Townsell said earlier this year that appropriating the proper funds in order to compete with the police and fire departments from Little Rock and neighboring cities was a priority. He said that could begin with one-time bonus to employees that would come out of the general fund.
“We have a plan in place for a pay scale for employees,” Townsell said when promoting the most recent tax proposal. “We are going to be checking with Little Rock and adjust to them. We are definitely going to be focused on that this year.”
Members of the fire department spoke to the turnover problem within the department, stating that fire fighters in Little Rock make about $20,000 more per year. Fire Chief Bart Castleberry said that 2011’s turnover rate is the highest that he has seen.
But this lawsuit focuses on the original sales tax in 2001, which resolved to give competitive salaries to city employees. Russellville attorney Russell Wood said that the resolution clearly states that “they cannot use it for other items such as equipment or to cover up financial debacles the city has made.”
City officials were not served with the lawsuit Tuesday when it was filed, and the office shut down early for the Faulkner County Fair Parade. City Attorney Mike Murphy said he usually does not comment on ongoing litigation, and no one from the city has issued a response to the lawsuit.
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"“We have a plan in place for a pay scale for employees,” Townsell said when promoting the most recent tax proposal. “We are going to be checking with Little Rock and adjust to them. We are definitely going to be focused on that this year.”"
Why should anyone believe you now when they have all been lied to from the beginning?
@General
Amen General. I couldn't agree with you more. The quote from the mayor in this article is actually from January 26th. http://thecabin.net/news/local/2012-01-26/police-fire-salaries-take-cent... What has happened in the last 8 months? The CFD has lost at least 5 firefighters (3 of them to Jacksonville) and it could get worse. Little Rock is hiring their first round of new firefighters in 3 weeks with more to follow in early 2013. The mayor and council have known about this pay issue for years. http://thecabin.net/stories/082801/loc_0828010019.shtml It was supposed to have been addressed with the tax that is the subject of the lawsuit. http://thecabin.net/stories/082901/loc_0829010015.shtml If this leadership can't fix this problem in 11 years, then don't you think it is time for a change? Speaking of change, it should be noted that not only was Tab Townsell the mayor in 2001 when this tax was passed, but current city council members Andy Hawkins and Shelia Whitmore were also council members then. They share just as much of the blame and need to be voted out too.
What?
I missed the first of the game or something. I didn't know Conway fire and police had a competition with Little Rock? What exactly are they competing on? How is the winner determined? What is the current score??
And then I read this: “We are going to be checking with Little Rock and adjust to them. We are definitely going to be focused on that this year.”
So, are we are loosing?? It sounds like we are not winning if we are adjusting to the competition we are up against!
Oh wait, now I see: Members of the fire department spoke to the turnover problem within the department, stating that fire fighters in Little Rock make about $20,000 more per year. Fire Chief Bart Castleberry said that 2011’s turnover rate is the highest that he has seen.
So we ARE loosing? Maybe it's the coach??
closing for the fair parade
Closing City Hall for the fair parade is so Mayberry.
I hope Opie had a good time.
well
I'm sure a pride parade would have been more to your liking.
Hold up. . .
So if he is admitting that they didn't use the tax as it wa intended then isn't that not only wrong but illegal?
And the last tax the city voted on, was that the tax that was meant for the employees salary raises or competitive salary comparison?
LCD what does the Mayor have to say about the lawsuit?
employees
Firefighters in conway are leaving to go to other departments. These men and women cannot support their families on the almost minimum wages they're making. Three firemen -who had been at CFD for at least 4 years- are now employees at Jacksonville Fire Dept. claiming to have gotten a $10,000 raise. CFD invests a lot of money in just one firefighter, and to only keep them for a few years to loose to another fire dept. is just draining the city. Each employee is an investment.
loose or lose?
AAAAAUGH!
People need to realize...
not only are the employees paying for this but tax payers are too. As Tab admitted in this aritcle "Townsell admitted that the council had made mistakes with funds in the past years." Those mistakes have costed tax payers money that could have been used to maybe fix roads, help add transportation to the city, and etc. The lawsuit is addressing the fact that the employees haven't recieved a raise in over 10 years! They have received cost of living which is not considered an actual raise and their steps (excluding the last 4 years) which are also not really raises but as the lawsuit says more of an agreement with the employee upon hiring. I understand the economic down turn but 10 YEARS!! Really? I bet Tab has no intention of making the city salaries comparable to Little Rock. For the last 4 years employees have been stripped away of $20,000+ because the city neglected to keep their end of the bargain. These are people that lay their lives on the line everyday they go in to work not to mention how much we lose as a city when they leave due to training and time we've put into making these people better at their jobs. The city needs to quit listening to the lies of the Mayor and council, do you honestly see the city boosting peoples pay in the access of $20,000 dollars to keep us competitive with Little Rock? I bet ole Tab doesn't get within $15,000 of being competitive. Where is all the money going to come from to make this kind of a difference? Folks the writing is on the wall and I hope you all are taking notes and spreading the word because if this Mayor keeps it up then the only town we are going to have is one that will be out of control because we can't keep any employees around to help take care of it. Hoping for brighter horizons in Novemeber after the elections.
I certainly hope,
This lawsuit is settled completely before November, Or will it be dropped once the new Mayor and Council is elected?
And it's been 3 days since the parade, any response? Served yet?