The Live Oak City Council adopted the city’s millage rate of 6.2119 mills and the operating budget of $16,019,737 Tuesday night.

The millage rate was passed unanimously while the budget was passed 3-2 with Council President Ed Rewis and Councilman Adam Prins dissenting.

Additional agenda items brought up by Councilman Bennie Thomas was regarding new employees or employees still within their one year probationary period would not receive the three percent increase that qualified city employees will receive in the 2011-12 budget. Prins seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.

The second item Thomas requested was to give Live Oak Mayor Sonny Nobles a three percent raise.

Nobles respectfully declined.

Thomas’ third motion was to decrease the amount of the 10 percent pay increase that was given to Executive Secretary Kim Smiley for taking on additional duties including but not limited to writing grant applications, but it died for lack of a second.

His proposal was to give her a six-percent increase until she was more proficient in her new duties and an increase in the future.

Due to the cost of living raise that all city employees received that was approved three-to-two on Aug. 30, Smiley would end up with a 13-percent increase.

“I also don’t think we’ve considered the fact that if we reduce that amount Ms. Smiley might not be willing to take on those additional responsibilities. That also needs to be considered. Because I am certain (City Administrator Bob Farley) approached her with the amount and told her he was going to ask 10 percent and she agreed to do it. If it gets reduced to six she might say I ain’t doing that for that it ain’t worth it to me. And then we have to hire for the new position, which has not been funded in the budget,” Prins said.

Rewis stated the reason the board approved the 10-percent raise was because of the savings the city will have by not rehiring a position that became vacant recently.

Farley stated at a previous meeting that having Smiley take on the additional duties from that vacancy would save the city $35,000 annually.  

“I think you better live with your 10-percent raise, now doggone it,” Mayor Nobles said. “You all voted that and she took that job under that condition.”