Jackson City Council adds, expedites emergency hiring-freeze ordinance for executive branch through June 30

The Jackson City Council on Tuesday added and unanimously expedited an emergency ordinance that temporarily reduces to zero the salary and compensation for any vacant positions in the executive branch of Jackson City government through June 30, 2025.

Council members debated the ordinance’s timing and budget implications before voting to put the measure on the floor. Several council members asked for clarity about how the hiring freeze would interact with existing budget lines and with legally required budget reserve thresholds.

The measure was introduced as an emergency item and requires a unanimous vote to take effect immediately. Council members said the intent is to limit hiring in the final month of the current administration and preserve funds for near-term priorities, including elections and overtime expenses in public safety.

Why it matters: City officials said the freeze is aimed at preventing unplanned hires that could create budget shortfalls ahead of a change in administration. Council members and staff repeatedly raised the state-law budget threshold they are trying to respect — generally described during the meeting as leaving roughly 25% of certain appropriations as a reserve or not exceeding about 75% of lines before a transition — and asked the administration for precise fund-balance numbers and legal guidance.

Chief Administrative Officer Lewis Wright and Fidelis Malenbecka, the city chief financial officer, told the council that staff will present a proposed budget amendment in June to move available funds from unfilled positions into line items with projected overages (for example, police and fire overtime and election costs). Malenbecka said staff estimates roughly $2.3 million in unspent salary funds in the first two quarters that could be reallocated; she estimated approximately $700,000 would be needed for immediate priorities including elections.

Council members pressed for a formal legal memo on the limits the state places on municipal spending before an administration change. Drew Martin, city attorney, said he has prepared legal guidance and would provide a memo; he also summarized the rule discussed at the meeting as a 75%/25% guideline but said there are exceptions that the written memo would clarify.

What the council decided: The council voted to add the emergency ordinance to the agenda and to expedite consideration so it would take effect immediately if adopted. Council members asked the administration to return with more detailed budget numbers, the fund balance, and a legal memo describing statutory constraints on spending in the run-up to a new administration.

What happens next: The administration said it will bring a budget amendment before the council in June and provide the requested legal memo and fund-balance figures. Council members signaled they expect ongoing oversight of expenditures until the transition.

Quotes (from meeting): “It is actually cheaper to fix them right away than to wait until you get some extra budget money to go out and address it,” said Councilman Foote when discussing the cost implications of delaying repairs and the general principle of addressing liabilities promptly. Fidelis Malenbecka said in committee she expects to present a budget amendment next month and estimated about $2,300,000 in unspent salaries during the first two quarters available for reallocation.

Ending: Council members stressed the emergency ordinance was intended as a short-term budget-control measure and asked legal and finance staff for written guidance and a clear accounting of the city’s fund balance before taking any further personnel or spending actions.