WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Charter requires the Civil Service Commission to periodically review the classification plan and pay plan for Metropolitan Government employees; and

WHEREAS, §12.06 of the Metropolitan Charter grants authority to the Civil Service Commission to adopt rules necessary to carry out the provisions of Article 12; and

WHEREAS, the Rules promulgated by the Civil Service Commission contain special pay provisions for overtime pay, compensatory time in lieu of overtime, and holiday pay, but do not include provisions for employee "bonuses"; and

WHEREAS, during the recent Council budget hearings, only fourteen of the forty-two departments responded that they had a bonus or incentive program; and

WHEREAS, of those departments that do provide an incentive program, there seems to be no real consistency or uniformity among the various programs; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Government has taken great strides to insure that all Metro employees are paid a fair salary that is comparable to the private sector, and the Council adopted new pay plans for Metropolitan Government employees that provide a three percent pay increase for fiscal year 2006; and

WHEREAS, the taxpayers of Davidson County will be paying increased property taxes and motor vehicle regulatory license fees to fund the $3.45 million fiscal year 2006 operating budget of the Metropolitan Government to ensure that the appropriate level of government services are being provided; and

WHEREAS, in light of the additional tax burden placed upon Davidson County residents, it is fitting and proper that the Civil Service Commission refrain from awarding bonuses to Metro employees over and above their approved salaries.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as requesting the Metropolitan Civil Service Commission to cease approving bonuses for employees of Metropolitan Government departments that receive the majority of their funding from local tax dollars.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to Dot Berry, the Director of the Department of Human Resources, and to each member of the Civil Service Commission.

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Rip Ryman