City hiring freeze will keep pool, fitness center open

New Poplar Bluff City Manager Matt Winters presented more than $330,000 in budget cuts Monday that attempt to ease some of the pain residents and city employees may have been expecting from these decisions.

It institutes a hiring freeze that will leave a police officer position, the city planner spot and four street department positions unfilled for the remainder of the year, but keeps the Black River Coliseum pool and fitness center open.

“With what I presented, I think it will get us to where we need to be,” said Winters.

City manager Matt Winters is sworn in by city clerk Nevada Young during Monday night's Poplar Bluff City Council meeting.DAR/Paul Davis

The largest savings will come from a hiring freeze which will leave open seven currently vacant positions. This is expected to keep about $180,000 in the city’s bank account. The city will not seek replacements at this time for: the city planner position, previously held by Winters; as well as a part-time position at the Black River Coliseum; a full-time position and three part-time positions at the street department; and one full-time position at the police department.

Winters also suggested reducing hours for both the pool and fitness center and the art museum, creating smaller gains. This would save $32,400 and nearly $8,500 respectively. New schedules for both will be announced at a later date, Winters said.

“We’re best to be conservative right now,” said Winters. “Not filling positions is going to get us to where we need to be right now.”

The pool and fitness center has already seen some savings this year after a closure of several weeks because of COVID-19 restrictions, he said.

That, plus a COVID grant at the airport of $69,000 provide much of the savings discussed.

City council member Shane Cornman praised Winters for cutting more money than previously discussed.

The city council had previously discussed reducing police officer overtime, cutting the pay of all city employees by 1%, closing the pool and fitness center at the Black River Coliseum and ending city funding for the Margaret Harwell Art Museum for the remainder of the year.

Former city manager Mark Massingham, who retired this month, had previously said the city needed to make $280,000 in cuts to balance the 2020 budget.

In his first city manager’s report, Winters told the council he was excited and looked forward to working with everyone.

At the beginning of the meeting, Winters also thanked the council for their confidence.

He has made two proposals for changes regarding how the public would address the council at future meetings.

The council discussed and voted Monday to reduce the speaking time from 10 minutes currently to 5 minutes.

Winters said he had checked with several other cities that had restrictions of 5 minutes or less. He commented that the first meeting in July was over an hour and a half following a lengthy comment period for citizens.

He also asked the council to consider a dress code for those who wished to speak. The intent is to be respectful, he said.

__Budget cuts/savings__

The city will enact the following cuts and savings to balance the 2020 budget, according to Matt Winters, city manager (figures approximate):

• $69,000 — savings, Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport COVID grant

• $32,400 — cut, Black River Coliseum pool and fitness center, reduced hours and staff

• $8,500 — cut, Margaret Harwell Art Museum director reduced to three days per week

• $11,200 — cut, museum director reduced benefits (due to reduced hours)

• $33,200 — hiring freeze, city planner position

• $15,000 — hiring freeze, BRC part-time position

• $25,000 — savings, BRC temporary staff not needed due to event cancellations

• $35,000 — hiring freeze, street department full-time position

• $23,000 — hiring freeze, three street department part-time positions

• $4,000 — hiring freeze, cemetery part-time position

• $80,000 — hiring freeze, total 1.5 police officer positions over 2020

otal reductions —$336,300

Total from hiring freeze — $186,200

__In other business, the council:__

• Approved a loan agreement with the Missouri Transportation Finance Corporation in regard to Highway 67/Interstate 57.

• Approved a gas line easement agreement with Spire Gas Company.

• Selected Mathis & Associates Engineering as the engineer to work on a street paving project if a Community Development Block Grant is approved.

• Discussed a request for a cell tower of 125 feet at 1017 Ridge Ave. This will be a voting item Aug. 3.

• Discussed a conflict of interest policy or municipal officers which will be voted on Aug. 3.