City employees voice concerns to council
By John Earp
At the December 16th meeting of the Jal City Council, during the Public Comment section, council members received sharp criticism from several city employees over the council’s decision the previous month to reduce the number of observed holidays for the upcoming year (2025). Levi Hill, Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Jal, read a speech he had prepared in which he noted that council members and city employees are public servants called at times to make personal sacrifices in order to do their often-unappreciated jobs. Hill criticized the fact that the council took over half an hour discussing whether to cut the number of holidays city employees would be given in the coming year. Hill particularly criticized the attitude shown by the councilors in the previous meeting, making faces and joking during the discussion of which holidays would be included as days off for city employees. Apparently, the council had decided to not observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a federal holiday, in 2025. Several other city employees got up to speak during the Public Comment portion of the meeting, all echoing Hill’s comments. However, later in the meeting this past Monday night, when the council discussed and decided on the holiday calendar for 2025, it was decided to include Veteran’s Day along with the other observed paid holidays city employees are given. During discussion by the council of the resolution regarding the 2025 employee calendar, Councilor Trevino stated she wanted to see Veterans Day included in the city employees’ holidays.