Milford council directs staff to prepare raises at COLA plus 2% after executive session

Milford councilors met in a budget workshop and, following an executive session on personnel and wages, unanimously directed staff to prepare the draft budget using a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) plus a 2% supplemental raise.

The meeting moved into executive session after Chair (Speaker 4) invited a motion “to go into executive session to discuss personnel and wages.” The council approved the motion, then returned to open session and formalized direction to budget staff. Speaker 1 said, “Let me go ahead and give Makayla the information to put that together with the, the cola and 2%,” and Speaker 3 seconded the motion. The motion passed with all recorded votes in favor.

The direction tasks the city’s budget officer to draft a wage recommendation reflecting COLA plus 2% for inclusion in the amended budget materials and to bring back required numbers for final adoption. Staff repeatedly told the group that wages are the top determinant for what other equipment and capital items can be included in the coming year’s budget.

Meeting participants scheduled a follow-up meeting to finalize personnel and wage details and to provide the requested numbers to the municipal budget analyst. No dollar amounts for the total fiscal impact were provided at the meeting; staff said those totals will be prepared for the next session.

The council adjourned at 12:29 p.m.