Utility workers ask City for more pay; Council
also approves financing for Ujima CDC project |
BY TODD LUCK
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City utility employees asked for higher pay and funds
were approved for Ujima CDC's first project in the
Monday, April 18 meeting of the City Council.
Many utility workers spoke, and dozens filled the seats
and lined the walls of the standing-room-only meeting.
Bob McMannon, a 21-year utility employee who is a
senior plant operator at Elledge Wastewater Treatment
Plant, told the council that the City is losing certified
operators to other municipalities in the state and as far
away as California. He said in the last seven months, the
plant has had to replace 25 percent of its operators.
"Do we want to give away our trained operators to
other municipalities?" he said. "I've heard it said repeat
edly with operators leaving, T can't afford to stay with
Winston-Salem'."
Edgar Henderson, who works in utilities construction
as a senior crew coordinator, said
the pay deficit with other North Carolina municipali
ties runs between 15 and 25 percent depending on the
position. He said it can take up to four years to earn certi
fication.
"By the time the employee earns these certifications,
the City has invested approximately $140,000 in him or
her, only to have them accept a position at a neighboring
utility for a significant pay increase," said Henderson.
Sworn police officers and fire fighters faced a very
similar situation, where many were leaving for other
municipalities that pay more after being trained. To
improve retention, last year the City Council approved a
plan to increase the pay for police officers and firefighters.
The mayor and City Council members promised
action for the utility workers.
"I can assure you we will take your comments very
seriously and will begin to address them with the budget
this year," said Mayor Allen Joines.
The City Council also voted* unanimously to provide
$2.5 million in grants and loans for Ujima CDC's
Emmanuel Retirement Village, located on Barbara Jane
Avenue off Old Greensboro Road. The CDC began in
2005, after Emanuel Baptist Pastor John Mendez had the
idea of putting a retirement community on property the
church owned at that location.
City Council Member Robert Clark, chair of the
finance committee, was among those who said he was
impressed with the CDC, commending its preparation for
the project, and acknowledging how difficult development
is in "certain parts of town."
Council Member DD Adams praised the CDC for its
diligence on the project.
"It places a much needed service of housing in an East
Winston neighborhood," said Adams.
The City's financing is comprised of a $500,000 grant,
a $1 million no-interest forgivable loan and a $1 million
loan at 2 percent interest. The $5.5 million project will get
the rest of its capital from a private lender, whose financ
ing was contingent on getting city funding.
Emmanuel Retirement Village will have 28 single bed
room units in a two story apartment building, duplexes
with 22 tw- bedroom units, and a community center. The
CDC hopes to start construction this year and open the
complex in early 2018.
City Council passes
anti-HB 2 resolution
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
The Winston-Salem
City Council passed a reso
lution expressing concerns
about HB 2 and asking
local lawmakers to undo its
"damaging legislative
changes" during its
Monday, April 18 meeting.
HB2 was passed during
a special one-day General
Assembly session late last
month to prevent a new
Charlotte ordinance pro
tecting lesbian, gay, bisex
ual and transgender
(LGBT) individuals from
discrimination that includ
ed protection of transgen
der individuals using the
restroom or locker room of
the gender they identify
with. To do that, HB2
restricts local governments
from having discrimination
ordinances that go further
than state law and says
individuals can only use
public restrooms and lock
er rooms that match the
gender on their birth cer
tificate, though private
businesses and entities can
still make their own polices
on such matters.
"We need to let our cit
izens know that they are
still a welcome part of our
community," said City
Council Member Dan
Besse, who wrote the reso
lution.
Only Robert Clark, the
sole Republican on the
council, voted against the
resolution. Instead he sent
his own letter to
Republican lawmakers on
two issues he said needed
addressing in the law: its
elimination of employees'
right to sue for discrimina
tion and that it could put
local municipalities trying
to comply with federal'
non-discrimination provi
sions in conflict with state
law.
Krys Gidtrey, a Salem
College student, who is
gender fluid, was among
many speakers who
thanked the City Council
for passing the resolution.
"I thank you for stand
ing up for social justice and
I thank you for standing in
solidarity with our commu
nity," said Gidtrey.
During the last few
weeks this issue has been
discussed in council meet
ings, transgender people
have spoken about their
own personal struggles
with acceptance in society
and in their own families,
and how awkward it would
be to go in a restroom the
opposite of their current
gender just because of
what's on their birth certifi
cate. They've rejected what
they say is an unfounded
scare tactic, that the
Charlotte ordinance would
endanger women and chil
dren. Both residents and
City Council members like
DD Adams have called it a
civil rights issue.
Debra Pankey, the only
person who spoke in sup
port of HB2, disagreed that
it's a civil rights issue. She
said the law wasn't about
hate, but about "common
decency and privacy."
"I am also appalled that
some issues such as the dis
pute over HB2 are com
pared to the racial preju
dice and bigotry that we
and other minorities have
suffered," said Pankey,
who is black.
Winston-Salem now
joins Durham, Greensboro,
Asheville, Carrboro,
Greenville, Hillsborough
and Chapel Hill as having
passed a resolution against
the law. The law has
national opposition as more
than 160 top executives
from major companies
have signed a letter oppos
ing it. Paypal canceled its
plans for expansion in
Charlotte because of HB2
and Bruce Springsteen,
Ringo Starr, Pearl
Jam and Cirque Du Soleil
have canceled shows in the
state. The High Point
Furniture Market is expect
ing hundreds, if not thou
sands, fewer costumers
because of the law.
A federal appeals court
ruled on Tuesday against
restricting transgender stu
dents from using the rest
room of the gender they
identify with at a Virginia
high school. N.C.
Governor Pat McCrory
said on Tuesday the State
was figuring out the effect
of the ruling on HB2.
Photo by Todd Luck
Char Van
Schenck,
Richard Cabdn
Cubero and
Christina
Novaton raise
their hands in
support of the
Winston-Salem
City Council
approving a res
olution against
HB 2 on
Monday, April
18.
ANSEL ADAMS
ELOQUENT LIGHT
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