MURRAY – The Murray City Council heard the first reading of the city’s 2023-24 budget Thursday night, as well as first readings of ordinances to zone and annex a plot of land as requested by the Murray-Calloway County Economic Development Corporation.
The annual budget totals approximately $70 million budget, and Mayor Bob Rogers said it is large because it includes projects like the $7.5 million Business Loop project, the north water interceptor project, the South 16th Street sidewalk project and a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) project on North 16th Street. The budget includes a 4% salary increase for employees, as well as two additional paid holidays. Councilman Wesley Bolin praised Rogers for taking care of the employees, and Councilman Johnny Bohannon said he wanted to point out to the public that the city did not raise taxes.
In connection to the budget, the council approved a municipal order revising the city’s personnel, policies and procedures manual. Regarding the additional paid holidays, City Administrator Jim Osborne said there are four holidays from which city employees will be allowed to choose two with a supervisor’s approval. They are Presidents’ Day, Juneteenth, Veterans Day and Christmas Eve.
The second change to the manual decreases the minimum time an employee can take off during a work day from one hour to 15 minutes. Osborne said this policy change would help employees keep short appointments without having to take a full hour.
The counc
