Photo by Sebastián González de León y León
On July 10, Town Council members discussed Kenneth City budget changes, which includes pay raises for police officers and City Manager.
Kenneth City Budget Changes
Acting City Manager and Police Chief Michael Vieno said during the meeting, Kenneth City will kick off its budget workshops and hearings. The Town will hold the workshops on July 18 at 6:30 p.m. and Aug. 14 at 6 p.m. Hearings will be on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. and Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m.
Vieno presented a draft PBA contract proposing an 11% salary increase – as Mayor Megan Zemaitis estimated – for police officers. The council members debated the increase but ultimately approved it unanimously after considering public comments and discussions. Susan Roberts, from the finance department, shared that property value had increased in Kenneth City.
“The Town is really making good progress,” Roberts said. “No one would want to come live here if it was crime-ridden and was a horrible, horrible place to live.”
Kenneth City budget changes aren’t all that happened at the July 12 Town Council meeting. Read about the Town’s recently elected Mayor, and the search for Kenneth City’s new Town Manager.
Police Chief (and Acting Town Manager) Recognized
Council member Tony Chan acknowledged that Vieno has been working double duty, and noted that the Chief of Police of might remain in this position for a few more months. He proposed bringing another person temporarily – a previous town manager of Kenneth City. Council members BonnieNoble and Bob Arrison disagreed with this approach.
“If we bring in somebody to fill in, that takes the Chief out of the loop of city manager,” Arrison said, saying that if the previous town manager leaves, Vieno would need to catch up again with the duties.
Subsequently, Noble presented a different motion “to approve and allocate $1,153 per week” to compensate Vieno from April 12 until the manager position is filled. This would be for “additional duties” unrelated to his work as police. The council unanimously approved the initiative, praising Vieno for his work since April 12.
“I didn’t ask for it. And that’s whatever they feel is fair. I’m a humble person.” Vieno told The Gabber Newspaper. “I didn’t do it for the money I did to help the town out.”
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In 1968, our founder, George Brann, started The Gabber Newspaper, then called the Gulfport Gabber, to hold Gulfport City Council accountable. Read more of our city council coverage, and learn about our policies on reporting, fact-checking, and funding.
