The Henderson City Council approved a resolution Monday that amends the Projects and Programming Budget to include $5,000 to be used by Mayor Melissa Elliott to pay for training and other programs she attends in her role as mayor.
The vote was 4-1, with Council member Sam Seifert casting the no vote. Voting in favor were Council members Michael Venable, Geraldine Champion, Ola Thorpe-Cooper and Tami Walker. Council members Sara Coffey, Garry Daeke and Lamont Noel were absent.
“We’re not asking for more money,” City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry explained during the meeting, “we’re asking for the purpose to be expanded.”
Champion and Thorpe-Cooper both expressed support and said in the meeting that Elliott shouldn’t have to pay out-of-pocket for the various trainings she attends in her role as mayor.
“I see it as being unfair for her to have to come out of pocket…for training for the city,” Champion said.
Thorpe-Cooper agreed, adding that the trainings are beneficial. “We’re being taught – we’re being trained – so we can better serve. I am all in favor of it.”
Given the fact that the city has instituted a hiring freeze – an indication that revenues are not flowing in as predicted at this point – Seifert said he would prefer that the city consider using “fiscal constraint” at least while the hiring freeze is in effect.
He suggested that the city “keep the scope narrow as it was defined so that we show our part in keeping expenses down…while we’re under a freeze.”
According to the resolution presented to Council on Monday, the $5,000 is “subject to the fiscal controls and standard operating procedures currently in place and administered through the City’s Finance Department.”
The resolution further explains that Elliott has created several ad hoc committees created to help the city’s elected officials better understand the community with its diverse needs and desire for inclusivity, and that there needs to be a “nominal” budget to cover reasonable and justifiable expenses that arise with those committees and other special projects, continuing education, conferences, seminars and other programs.
Any expenditure would require approval by the city manager.
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