Hamilton council approves pay increase, settlement-funded equipment purchases and small property sale; amends grass ordinance

Hamilton City Council approved a series of routine personnel and purchasing items, a small property sale and changes to the city's grass ordinance during a regularly scheduled meeting.

The council voted to increase an hourly wage, buy safety and training equipment using settlement funds, approve small donations, correct a parcel number for a car wash zoning file, and agree to sell a narrow strip of city-owned land behind the former Hamilton Plastics site (now known as Praxis) to a private owner at appraised value. The body also voted to change the grass enforcement start date to May 1 and raise the maximum allowed grass height from 12 inches to 15 inches.

The most-discussed items were purchases intended for first responders and public safety. Police and fire officials described plans for five automated external defibrillators (AEDs), to be paid from opioid-settlement funds, and a forcible-entry training prop the fire department said would also benefit police training. The police chief said the five AEDs, budgeted at $8,436 total, would be placed so an AED would be available on each 12-hour shift and kept in the department and municipal courtroom; "our goal is to never use these, but unfortunately, the line of work we're in, most times we're the first responder to the scene of an unresponsive person," the chief said.

Council approved a $9,500 purchase for a portable entry training device; the council record shows the funding split as $4,750 from the Oak Island settlement funds and $4,007.50 from the Hamilton Fire Department's three-mill tax fund account. City staff said the device will be used in joint training between police and fire for safer entry into residences during narcotics searches, overdose responses and other calls.

Other approved items included a pay increase for a city employee identified in the meeting as Jasmine, whose wage was raised from $7.25 per hour to $10.75 to reflect a change from a temporary seasonal position to a more regular, part-time role; the council approved the purchase of eight portable benches for the Bloody Hatch River Sports Lab for $4,352; a $1,000 donation from Old Guard settlement funds to the AA program for summer activities; and a $600 donation from settlement funds to the Farmers Park and Incentives Scholarship Program.

The council agreed to sell a small strip of city land off National Avenue, behind the former Hamilton Plastics site (now Praxis), to Brian Silas at an appraised price; the buyer will pay related survey and appraisal costs and the city attorney confirmed the property is not needed for future ingress or egress. The council also approved a technical correction to the parcel number tied to a prior rezoning ordinance (Ordinance No. 2021-3) for Joe Baby's Car Wash, which staff said had consolidated two parcels into one and required the ordinance record be updated.

On code enforcement, the council voted to amend the city's grass ordinance (section 28-32, "Vegetation, grass, plants and weeds") to delay annual enforcement until May 1 and to raise the permissible grass height from 12 inches to 15 inches. Councilmembers discussed the effective date and height change before moving approval.

The council authorized staff to post a potential job opening for Hamilton Parks and Recreation but tabled final hiring actions until additional discussion with Parks staff. Before adjourning to executive session, the presiding official thanked local teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week and noted the city has two school security officers assigned across three campuses; councilmembers discussed the desire to place an officer at each campus in coordination with the Board of Education.

Votes at a glance - Approve minutes of April 21 city council meeting — approved (motion moved by Councilmember Ross; second not specified). - Approve accounts payable for April 20 — approved. - Increase pay for city employee Jasmine from $7.25 to $10.75 per hour — approved. - Purchase 8 portable benches (Latania Sports Group) — purchase price $4,352; approved. - Donation $1,000 from Old Guard settlement funds to AA program — approved. - Donation $600 from settlement funds to Farmers Park and Incentives Scholarship Program — approved. - Purchase portable entry training prop — total $9,500; funding shown as $4,750 from Oak Island settlement funds and $4,007.50 from the Hamilton Fire Department three-mill tax fund; approved (motion moved by Ross; second by Scott Tyrone). - Purchase 5 AEDs for Hamilton Police Department — total $8,436 from opioid settlement funds; approved. - Sell small strip of city property off National Avenue to Brian Silas at appraisal; buyer to pay surveys/appraisals — approved (motion moved by Rosslyn; second by Wade). - Correct parcel number for Joe Baby's Car Wash under Ordinance No. 2021-3 — approved. - Amend grass ordinance (section 28-32): enforcement to begin May 1; maximum grass height 15 inches — approved. - Authorization to post a parks and recreation job (permission to post) — permission granted; final hire tabled. - Enter executive session — council entered executive session; no votes taken during the session that concluded the open-meeting actions.

What this means locally Settlement funds covered several purchases the council said would avoid charging the city's general fund: AEDs were paid from the opioid settlement fund, the training prop was partly paid from Oak Island settlement funds and partly from the fire department's tax fund, and other small items and donations were paid from settlement accounts. The parcel sale affects the narrow area behind the former Hamilton Plastics/Praxis site along National Avenue and, if completed, will allow the buyer to expand an existing building. The grass ordinance change shifts seasonal enforcement and raises the allowed height to 15 inches.

The meeting concluded when the council moved into executive session for matters discussed off the record; the public portion ended with routine adjournment remarks.