Columbia City Council to discuss utility pay increases and adjustments

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ.)

On Monday, Columbia City Council plans to meet to discuss utility pay increases among several other things. 

An $8.3 million revenue increase is proposed for utilities and is expected to take effect July 1.

The city says this near seven percent increase is necessary to address an increase in operation and maintenance expenses while also ensuring adequate debt coverage for the entire water and electric fund.

"If you compare our rates to similar cities in Missouri, we have low rates," Ward 1 city councilman Nick Knoth told ABC 17. "While that is great and we all enjoy that, at the end of the day we do have to pay to maintain our infrastructure in terms of electric and water, and things only get more expensive by the day."

The city also plans to discuss pay adjustments during Monday night's council meeting

This includes a 4% pay adjustment for all permanent water and light members. If passed, those proposed changes would take effect beginning June 11.

The city also plans to discuss making a 2% increase across the board at the beginning of the fiscal year 2024 for all eligible water and light members. 

This pay adjustment would impact apprentice communication technicians and communication technicians among several other positions. According to the city, at the beginning of the fiscal year 2024, the minimum starting pay for communication technicians, substation technicians and line workers would be upped to $45.87.  The minimum starting pay for apprentice communication technicians, apprentice substation technicians and apprentice line workers would be moved to $30.72 per hour.

Monday night's council meeting is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. at Columbia City Hall.