CITY HALL—The municipal budget for the upcoming fiscal year received its first reading at Tuesday night's regularly scheduled City Council meeting. It includes a 4% cost of living adjustment for all nonseasonal city staff.

"Council chose to raise city worker pay by a full one percent, from 3% to 4%," City Administrator Shawn Sandlin told The Edge about Ordinance 07-2026, in a phone interview. Council made the decision last week during a work session to review the budget. Council also chose to create a separate hazardous duty pay scale, which also is subject to the 4% COLA increase.

The first reading of Ordinance 08-2026 described the scale as pay grades 1, 2 and 3 for non-executive hazardous duty positions, and pay grades 4, 5, 6, and 7 for executive hazardous duty roles. According to state statute, hazardous duty refers to police and fire departments.

Seasonal workers will see a $1 raise per hour, according to Ordinance 09-2026, which also does away with uniform allowances for the fire and police departments. Instead, the City will purchase all hazardous duty uniforms moving forward.

A copy of the FY26-27 budget ordinance is here:

Proclamations

As no one signed up to give public comment in Tuesday night's meeting, after the agenda acceptance, the prayer, and the pledge of allegiance, the evening kicked off with a spirited proclamation that June 13 and 14 are Juneteenth Weekend in Berea. Members of the human rights committee received the proclamation from Fraley.

Fraley also proclaimed that World Elder Abuse Awareness Day will be observed in Berea on June 15, bringing attention to the rising rates of digital crimes against older Americans, as well as other forms of elder abuse.

Appointments

Berea Police Captain Casey Botkin was unanimously appointed in a voice vote to serve on the Housing Authority, while Rick Fulton was unanimously reappointed to chair the Authority.

Beverly Harkleroad was unanimously voted in as the Mayor's pick to replace Mike Barnett on the Planning and Zoning Commission through January 2027, as Barnett was appointed last month to take on the City Council seat vacated by Steve Davis.

Council unanimously voted to appoint George Mendoza to fill the Board of Adjustments seat vacated by David Wallace, who is moving out of town. Mendoza will hold the seat through February 2030.

Orders

Municipal Order 04-2026 named the members of Council's standing committees and their chairs for FY26-27 as follows:

Audit and Finance: Steve Caudill (chair), Katie Startzman, Teresa Scenters, Barry Poynter

Public Works: Jerry Little (chair), Caudill, John Payne, Ronnie Terrill

Parks: Startzman (chair), Payne, Terrill, Barnett

Personnel: Barry Poynter (chair), Little, Startzman, Scenters

Ordinances

Ordinance 06-2026 received its first reading to allow an update to the most recently published volume of the City's codes and ordinances. Ordinances 07-2026, 08-2026, and 09-2026 are as noted above.

Department head report

Business development director, Donna Angel, told Council about a number of new businesses opening or relocating in town recently, including an as yet unnamed fast quick restaurant, a student tutoring business, and supply store.

Also, the Berea Walk-in clinic currently on Prince Royal Drive will be moving to the former urgent care facility, near the Comfort Inn and Holiday Inn at Exit 76 Southbound. This will allow an expansion of rural healthcare services, according to Angel, who also noted that the former Mariachi's Mexican restaurant has now re-opened as Cabo's.

Angel also said that industrial employers Hyster-Yale and Astemo 1 and 2 are all expected to begin hiring by the start of next year. Hiring announcements will be made at that time. Angel also noted that a sale of about 10 acres is underway near Exit 77, but did not offer further details. To learn more about Berea's business development department, visit The Edge's recent profile of Angel.

Tourism
Nancy Conley, director of Tourism, requested a line item overage of $1,700 in order to outfit a truck to transport and water flowers as part of the City's expanded beautification efforts. It was granted unanimously.

Utilities
Kevin Howard, utilities general manager, brought nearly every single employee to the fore, each with some kind of award or certificate or other accolade to display. The commanding performance by his team of waste water experts, risk managers, and other specialists are among the most decorated utility workers in all the state, according to Howard. "It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with these guys," Howard said of his team.

Howard also answered a question from Terrill about progress on the Owsley Fork dam project, noting that things are moving along, and all permits, permissions, and approvals but one have been obtained after over a dozen years of planning for the expansion. FEMA has yet to indicate whether it approves the flood remediation plans submitted to them, although Howard said the agency is not holding up progress, since he still has to speak with several residents about the project.

Mayor's comments

As Sandlin did not have any news to report, Fraley offered his comments next. He welcomed Barnett to Council, welcomed rising Berea Community School senior, Jackson Schill, who expressed to the Mayor his interest in how municipal government is run, and reminded folks that this weekend is the US Route 25 yard Sale.

Council comments

Terrill, Poynter, and Caudill all thanked the utilities department for their hard work, and Poynter welcomed Schill. Scenters also thanked the utilities workers, Angel for her report, and the Tourism Commission for its beautification efforts.

Payne also thanked utilities and reminded folks that the race is on for Council. Barnett also thanked the utilities team especially for working in the dark when there are night time storms. Startzman offered no comment. Little was absent from the meeting.