Aragon to face payout of comp time for hourly employees, lays out initial rec plan

Aragon surplus furniture now available for local non-profits, churches in need before Nov. 28

Aragon employees who have accrued many hours of comp time instead of being paid for overtime work have a chance to cash out the time, but will likely have to pay a hefty tax penalty for doing so.

The council decided in a vote during their Nov. 17 meeting on to approve a buyout plan for a pair of employees, and to allow others to participate if they wish.

Mayor Garry Baldwin said during the work session he felt it was prudent to go ahead and pay out the time now and take the hit rather than let it accrue and build up in times when the city might need the money.

He said a policy needed to be put in place as well to prevent it from building up so much in the future. Aragon employees all totaled together have built up 480 hours of overtime pay.

The council also approved the annual Christmas bonus for employees, along with raises for two employees who will in the coming months be off their probationary service period for the city to go onto a regular pay rate.

A 2.5 percent annual raise for employees was also already included in the FY 2017 budget as well, though discussion of how to disperse the increas--

Need some furniture for your non-profit or church office and don't mind it being gently used since it's free? The City of Aragon can help.

A variety of the surplus office furniture replaced in previous month's was left over following a sale which netted $605.50 for the city coffers so far. Now the rest of the desks, chairs and other items that can still be used are up for potential donations to organizations or churches willing to come pick it up.

City Clerk Sandy Norman said that those interested in picking out the remaining surplus items can come choose and pick them up if they contact the city by Nov. 28, 2016.

"We want the furniture to go somewhere it can be used if it can be, and much of what is left is still good to use," she said.

Norman said to call 770-684-6563 for more on how to pick out and collect furniture.

If it is not all collected by Nov. 28, leftover items will either be discarded or salvaged depending on the materials.

The city could potentially make more money if metal furniture is not donated out, which could be delivered to increase the load of scrap metal Public Works will deliver if it remains.

City council members gave their blessing to the plan in order to dispose of the surplus furniture and not allow it to gather dust in storage.