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Live Oak council debates freezing raises and creating assistant city manager while public works director post remains vacant
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Summary
Council members debated a proposal to freeze pay raises and new hires pending the next budget cycle while others said payroll savings could fund an assistant city manager; council recorded that the public works director position has been vacant since Jan. 31 and that about $50,000 in payroll savings may exist.
Council members debated whether to freeze pay raises and new positions until the next budget cycle and whether existing payroll savings could instead cover a proposed assistant city manager post.
Council member S6 proposed a freeze on raises and hiring except for essential positions, arguing the adopted 2025–26 budget does not include raises or new positions and pointing to the unfilled public works director post, which S6 said became vacant on Jan. 31. "We have too many things to be done within the city," S6 said, arguing a freeze would preserve funds for critical infrastructure and road work.
Council president S2 asked whether S6 meant raising a freeze on already approved raises, and cited the council-adopted "City Council Resolution 2025-35" and the City of Live Oak 2025–26 budget language that included a 3% cost-of-living increase and a $15 starting wage for specified classes. "All these things have already been voted and decided upon," S2 said, pressing for clarity on what a freeze would affect.
Council member S5 said payroll is currently below budget and estimated about $50,000 in unspent payroll funds resulting from vacancies and short-term absences. S5 suggested using those funds to "enhance a position like an assistant city manager" or delegate responsibilities so that an acting official could cover duties during absences. "I have the money and the budget to do anything to actually enhance a position like an assistant city manager," S5 said.
Why it matters: The debate concerns ongoing personnel costs and city operations. A freeze could delay pay increases or new hires already contemplated in budgeting; alternatively, reallocating unspent payroll funds could add capacity without increasing the adopted budget. Council did not take a final vote on the freeze or on creating an assistant city manager during this session.
Next steps: The council continued discussion under agenda item 5 and scheduled speakers for related subitems; no final personnel action was recorded in the provided transcript segments.
