WR Mayor, City Council approve pay raise, contract consulting firm

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Warner Robins Mayor and Council made moves on Tuesday to raise the pay of city employees, contract the consulting firm Carron Solutions, LLC and after a closed session, made a decision regarding the city contract with fiber optic network developer A2D/eCBI. Read on.

Following through with promises made within the city’s new FY23 budget, mayor and council discussed a 7.75% percent pay adjustment for all full-time employees. Without much deliberation, the item was approved. Full time city employees should expect to see this pay adjustment with the first full pay period of July, on July 11.

During the item’s comment period, Councilman Charlie Bibb said that this raise was “big.”

“This is big; it’s big for all of us,” Bibb said. “I think it’s a good starting point. It’s been a long time coming for the employees of the City of Warner Robins, and I hope that we continue to, year after year, look into our budget and see if we can improve the life of the city employees.”

Before leaving for a closed session, mayor and council approved a professional services agreement with Carron Solutions, LLC. The consulting firm will provide “specialized knowledge and experience in the areas of governmental operations, management and budget, organizational development, utility operation and business development.”

Warner Robins and Carron Solutions are not solutions — the firm’s Principle Consultant and CEO Sharon Subadan is due much credit in helping the city create the most recent budget.

During the pre-council meeting, there was some discussion regarding this item. Mayor Patrick explained to council why the contract would be necessary.

“Finding someone who is skilled at managing SPLOSTs, managing ARPA [funds], and other things, it’s those little nuances that we need someone to do,” Patrick explained. “We could hire someone to do those things in addition to a Finance Director, but this company is giving us multiple FTEs to do the job that we need. It’s cost savings for the city if we were to go this route filling those gaps.”

Councilman Bibb asked if this contract would have any bearing the city hiring a finance director. Mayor Patrick consoled him that it would not.

“We’re not going to delay hiring our finance director just because this company comes in,” Patrick said. “If [our future] finance director ends up being an expert at the things that are above and beyond what a finance director would do, then that’s great for us.”

Finally, after a closed session, mayor and council returned to, as Councilman Kevin Lashley explained, “terminate the 99-year private-use bond lease with eCBI Warner, LLC, based on failure to cure defects in the network.”

A2D and eCBI Warner, LLC, are currently in a lawsuit with the City of Warner Robins, after the fiber optics company developed a WAN system for the private use of the city. Part of a “smart city initiative,” the network would have drastically increased the speed of the city’s Wide Access Network — however, after several Right of Way permits were withheld from A2D/eCBI Warner, the network was never fully complete.

Although A2D claims they have a right to access a private network that was built alongside the city’s per the agreed upon contract, the City of Warner Robins claims that all fibers laid in the ground by A2D/eCBI are property of the city.

The Journal reached out to City Attorney Julia Mize for what this decision could mean for the city’s relationship with A2D or the ongoing litigation, however she did not return our call.

The item motion was made by Councilman Lashley, seconded by Councilman Bibb and approved unanimously by all present councilman — Council Larry Curtis was not present.

The agenda and supporting documents for this meeting can be found at the city’s website, or by going to wrga.gov/agendacenter.

Mayor and council’s meetings are typically scheduled on the first and third Monday of each month, exclusive of federally practiced holidays. The next meeting will be held on Monday, July 18. Pre-council will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Carolyn Robbins Room at City Hall. The regular council meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers of the same building.

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