Municipalities can make budget transfers in the last two months of the year, but on Nov. 12 the City Council failed to pass a resolution to transfer $1.1 million, except for $51,000 for Recreation after coach Agurs Linward "Lenny" Cathcart Jr. made an emotional protest.
The resolution is back for tonight's special meeting, with some alterations. It still includes the controversial $131,091.38 for the Police Division, ostensibly to pay for promotions of seven sergeants to lieutenants. Objectors said lame duck Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs jumped the gun with the promotions, but the resolution failed because five votes were required to transfer funds and the vote was 4-3. Vera Greaves, William Reid, Tracey Brown and Bridget Rivers voted "yes" and Adrian Mapp, Cory Storch and Rebecca Williams voted "no."
The failed vote triggered an outburst from Cathcart and after some tortuous reconsideration, the council granted the $51,000 for Recreation with only Reid dissenting, because, he said, he didn't know what he was voting on.
The revised resolution still includes $592,750 for health benefits, $20,000 for school crossing guards and $163,085.23 to the PMUA for storm debris removal. New items on the "to" side are $7,500 for the mayor's office and $5,000 for senior citizens.
On the "from" side, the largest item is $548,176.61 in insurance funds, with $100,000 each from Public Works, state unemployment insurance and worker's compensation. The full list of "to" and "from" funds will be available tonight in the meeting binder as item R-392-13. The meeting is 7 p.m. in City Hall Library.
--Bernice
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