Despite a year fraught with economic difficulties and a downturn in sales tax collections, the Covington City Council approved a 4 percent raise for Mayor Candace Watkins, who has not received a salary increase in three years.

The addition would increase her salary from $66,144 to $68,640, a raise she said she would not accept. She would be the only city employee to receive a raise for 2010.

The raise was passed by a vote of 5-1, with Councilman Marty Benoit voting against the raise and Councilman Clarence Romage absent from the meeting. In a discussion about the mayor’s salary, Councilwoman Frances Dunn said that no employee should make more than their boss. At present, City Administrator Beverly Gareipy and Police Chief Richard Palmisano make more than the mayor. Councilman Matt Faust said that the council has approved raises in the past few years, but the mayor has vetoed them.

Other considerations include health insurance; a life insurance policy of $50,000; long-term disability insurance; and use of a city-owned vehicle for personal and city use; workman’s compensation insurance; unemployment insurance; Medicare insurance and Louisiana Municipal Employees Retirement plan as other full-time city employees. Premiums for insurance will be paid by the city except health insurance, which is paid partially by city and partially by the employee.

In addition, the council unanimously passed an ordinance adopting the annual operating and capital outlay budget and the five-year capital outlay plan for 2010-2014. The annual budget is for $17.4 million, very tight and carefully considered and lower than the 2009 budget.

Councilman Lee Alexius said the economic downturn, especially in sales tax revenue, has been evident this year. Although the 2009 budget reflected an anticipated sales tax loss, thus far sales tax revenue is 3.7 percent lower than what was budgeted.

As part of the budget ordinance, the council voted unanimously to adopt an amendment that would require the council to be notified of budget changes between $5,000-$15,000 and anything over $15,000 would need the council’s approval.

Alexius said that the budget process looks at what is needed and if something changes, the council should be notified. “We (the council) are the budget process,” he said, “And if something does not agree with what was budgeted, we should be told.” He added that anything under $15,000 does not need to be approved by the council, just notify the council so adjustments can be made.

He said many times in the budget process, priorities are set in each department, and matters may be tabled because of budgetary constraints.

When an excess in one area occurs involving a great deal of money, the budgetary process should decide how best that excess money should be spent. Alexius said that in most cases, it’s a small amount of money and will not be affected by the change, but if a larger amount is involved, the council should be able to look at the city’s priorities and decide where excess money can be utilized best.

Watkins said the matter had been proposed as a change to the charter and was turned down by voters. At the meeting she said, “You are taking away my authority.”

Monday, Watkins said that because the charter change regarding this matter had failed, she was going to veto the budget because of the amendment.

A third ordinance was passed unanimously that would raise the penalty rate for occupational license payment from 1 percent to 1.5 percent, the same as the state.

At the beginning of the council meeting, neighbor complaints about the lack of code enforcement at a home in Covington were brought before the city council to be discussed.

City Attorney Deborah Foshee said the issue was a mayor’s court matter and inappropriate for the city council before she walked out of the meeting. She did not return for the remainder of the meeting.

Trey Blackall said the matter was not brought before the city council for the council to take action, but as a forum for neighbors to complain.

“Where else should they go?” asked Blackall.

Neighbors near Monroe and Eleventh streets, led by Bonnie Stokes and Ted Barkerding, had brought pictures of the residence for the council to view.

Owner of the property, Chris McClain, addressed the meeting saying he was sorry for the way his house looks, but he was a victim of contractor fraud after Katrina and has been trying to fix the property by himself and has not been able to get assistance from the St. Tammany District Attorney’s Office.

He said that the code enforcement officers have been to his house and he has cooperated with them each time. Neighbors complained at the meeting that while this may be true, there are other code violations that have not been fixed.

McClain said, “I give you my word that it will be cleaned by Christmas.”

In other business, the need of a document scanner policy was brought before the council. In an effort to keep better records, all municipalities in the state are being asked to scan all documents, including e-mails. Just what is involved and required can be better explained by state officials and a policy will then be adopted. Council clerk Dee Dee McKinnon said she will contact the state officials to set up meetings to discuss the new state mandated policy and how Covington will pursue it.