Mayor and Council Meeting - A. MAX BACON CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBERS — Minutes
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December 15, 2025 7:00 PM City of Smyrna Mayor and Council Meeting 2800 King Street SE Council Chambers Page 10 of 20 Mike L. Jones, City Administrator, provided the following background: This request is based on the need to create a safer, more pedestrian-friendly downtown greenspace area. The retractable bollards will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the currently utilized water barricades that are much more labor intensive and difficult to move. The proposed bollards are quick release and retractable, which will improve response times and access in case of emergencies in the area. City staff will be performing the installation of these bollards saving substantial costs on the overall project with oversight from a qualified certified K12 Defense installer. Councilmember Travis Lindley made a motion to approve item ATH2025-198; seconded by Councilmember Glenn Pickens. The motion to approve carried with the following vote: Aye: 6 – Councilmember Pickens, Councilmember Hines (virtual), Councilmember Lindley, Councilmember Wilkinson, Mayor Pro Tem / Councilmember Gould, Councilmember Oglesby Nay: 0 – None Absent: 1 – Councilmember Welch I. ATH2025-113 Approval of the FY 2026 Pay Scale Adjustments, Cost of Living (COLA) Pay Adjustments, and Staff Merit Increases effective the January 8, 2026 payroll (Pay Period: December 22, 2025 - January 4, 2026) Citywide Mike L. Jones, City Administrator, provided the following background: Each year cost of living pay adjustments and merit increases for eligible staff are included in the budget in the contingency line item of each fund. As part of the maintenance plan recommended in the adopted 2022 classification and compensation study, Council committed to annual adjustments to the pay bands and cost of living (COLA) pay adjustments based on the Employment Cost Index (ECI) published at the end of the third quarter each year. Due to the recent government shut-down, the release of the third quarter ECI has been delayed, with no release date indicated. Referring to release for the period ending June 2025, compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 4.0 percent for the 12-month period ending in June 2025. For March 2025, compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 4.3 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2025. The FY 2026 Budget was adopted with a cap on the COLA adjustment at 3%. Staff does not anticipate the September 2025 ECI will be less than 3% based on the amounts reported for March 2025 and 2025. Mr. Jones stated that he received calls from three Department Heads who stated staff are appreciative of what the Mayor and Council put forward, and that it does not go unnoticed. Councilmember Travis Lindley made a motion to approve item ATH2025-113; seconded by Councilmember Susan Wilkinson.