Freeport City Council adopted an ordinance on Oct. 1 that specifies the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) authorized in the FY25–26 budget: a 5.5% COLA for police department employees and code enforcement positions, and a 3% COLA for all other departmental employees. The ordinance also included position-specific one-time allocations for the museum: $6,000 to the museum director, $4,000 to the museum programs coordinator and $2,000 to the museum attendant.

Council discussion: The ordinance was presented by Miss Donna Fisher as a transparency measure to document the COLA work done during the budget process and to assist auditors by attaching the pay matrices. Several councilmembers voiced concern about museum pay increases relative to staffing levels and community outcomes; others defended the raises for employees across departments. One councilmember said portions of the budget discussion had been curtailed at a prior meeting and that remaining department adjustments had not been considered before finalizing COLA for these positions.

Outcome: Motion to approve Ordinance No. 2025-2749 passed 3–2. Councilmembers Matamoros and Rosso voted in favor; Councilmen Pena and Davis recorded opposition (Roll-call recorded in meeting as "3 to 2 passes").

Context: City staff said the appropriations underlying the COLA had been made during the budget process; the ordinance formalizes the specific salary matrix changes and supplements to museum staff.