Raises, artisan brewery ordinance on Council agenda
City Manager John Szerlag is bringing a request before City Council Monday night to grant a 5 percent pay increase to the city’s non-bargaining sworn police officers, essentially the top administration, effective back to July 1, 2014, until Oct. 1, 2014, before the Fiscal Year 2015 budget kicked in.
The cost of this action is stated to be $10,344. Additionally, a 5 percent increase was previously approved for these individuals in the FY 2015 budget as well as for members of the Fraternal Order of Police bargaining unit in its recently approved union contract. Szerlag’s proposals were made with the intention of raising police salaries closer to the 75th percentile of the market.
Council also holds its second and final public hearing on the establishment of Artisan Breweries, Distilleries, Wineries and Brewhouse restaurants in the South Cape downtown district.
City staff has addressed council concerns stemming from the first public hearing, specifically pungent odors that can be associated with microbreweries.
These odors originate from wastes stored outdoors and spent grains and yeast from the brewing process. This is addressed by limiting the time these spent grains can be stockpiled outdoors to 24 hours and requiring wastes to be stored in enclosed containers.
Council will discuss the Caloosahatchee River Reclaimed Water Transmission project for which the city finally won general appropriations funding from the state of Florida legislature in 2014 after Gov. Rick Scott vetoed the measure in 20123 and 2013.
The project, a collaboration between Cape Coral and Fort Myers, can now move forward through the engineering and permitting phase.
Council also will firm up its legislative priorities and funding requests for the current state legislative period.
One ordinance will be introduced to council Monday night which would establish a Domestic Partnership Registry in Cape Coral.
Council meets at 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.