It has come to my attention that there are members of the community who feel that I slighted some members of the business community during our last council meeting of the year.
I was intending to demonstrate the value of current city employees and justify targeted pay raises. In that discussion, I contrasted the job situation between experienced and skilled municipal employees with the plight of workers in the service sector such as, waitresses, barbers and hair dressers. My intent was to explain to the Council that these employees were in high demand jobs during the COVID-19 lockdowns. They, at this time, have more options than those mentioned in the service sector who are currently suffering from enforced lockdowns that has damaged their ability to make ends meet.
I never meant to say that these people were in any way, less important or less skilled in their chosen professions. I have great respect and admiration for those individuals who work in the most heavily impacted jobs. I deeply care about their well being and personal success. I fight for them every day as their City Administrator and pledge to do everything in my power to help them recover from these enforced closures.
I encourage those of you who have not viewed the video of this particular City Council meeting to do so before you make any judgements about my comments.
Sincerely,
Donald C. Wayman
City Administrator