Three times a charm as Aldermen finally pass the City of Teague’s 2019-2020 Budget during their Regular Called Meeting on Monday, September 16, 2019.
It passed with a vote of 4 to 1, with Alderman Place 1 – Jerry Ballew voting against the motion.
Changes made to the budget included dropping the position of Administrative Assistant and granting a $1 per hour raise to all police officers, with no additional duties added to their job description.
Teague Chief of Police DeWayne Philpott was not included in the pay increase. His salary is expected to be addressed after completing his Master’s degree in December.
The City of Teague budget has seen much contention the last several weeks over salaries, dog catchers, and the proposed tax rate increase.
Just last week, Alderwoman Place 3 – Maria Hertenberger tendered her resignation, as confirmed by City Administrator Theresa Prasil; but then rescinded that resignation the following day.
Alderwoman Hertenberger was in place during Monday’s Council meeting to cast her vote for the passage of the City budget.
Initially, the budget failed to pass the first time during a meeting held a month ago, on August 19th, with Aldermen Hertenberger, Chris Nickleberry (Place 4), and Ryan Mathison (Place 5) voting against the measure.
A workshop was scheduled the following Monday to hash out the issues, but the budget failed a second time during last week’s Special Called Meeting on Monday, September 9, 2019.
In fact, it did not even come to a vote as Alderman Place 1 – Jerry Ballew made a motion to adopt the budget, but no one came forth with a second; and then died when put forward a second time for lack of action.
When the budget failed to pass the second time, the proposed tax rate increase was also tabled, as it cannot be addressed until the budget has passed.
During that September 9th Special Meeting, Daniel Ramsey, former Chief of Police, addressed the Council giving a visitor comment over how he hoped the council would vote to do the right thing, and put the most important things first.
During the public hearing for the budget, former Alderman, Marilyn Michaud, spoke stating that “never in her six years as a councilman did she see a salaried employee receive a raise without an evaluation.”
The following day City Administrator Prasil told The “Times” that the new proposed budget, presented during the Monday, September 16th meeting, would have the pay raises removed.