Created on 06/11/2014

AN ORDINANCE

NO.________

An Ordinance adopting changes to the Columbus Consolidated Government Classification and Pay Plan by defining two experience based step classifications within Pay Grade 21 for Official Superior Court Reporters on the effective date of this ordinance; authorizing up to $10,000.00 in transcript page charges per fiscal year when authorized by a Superior Court Judge; adopting Policies and Procedures for Court Reporters; and for other purposes.

____________________

THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1.

(a) The Human Resources Department is authorized to make changes to the Columbus Consolidated Government Classification and Pay Plan by creating the title Official Superior Court Reporter II to be compensated at Pay Grade 21, Step J which shall apply to all Superior Court Reporters who have ten (10) years of experience as a Court Reporter in any court within Muscogee County while employed by the City of Columbus. Said salary shall only be increased when the pay plan is adjusted or a cost of living adjustment is made for all City employees.

(b) The Human Resources Department is further authorized to make changes to the Columbus Consolidated Government Classification and Pay Plan by designating the title Official Superior Court Reporter I to be compensated at Pay Grade 21, Step A for those Official Superior Court Reporters who do not meet the experience requirements set forth in paragraph (a) above. Said salary shall only be increased when the pay plan is adjusted or a cost of living adjustment is made for all City employees. Any Official Superior Court Reporter I who attains ten (10) years of experience as a Court Reporter in any court within Muscogee County while employed by the City of Columbus shall be re-classified as an Official Court Reporter II and be eligible for the classification and salary set forth in paragraph (a) above.

(c) The salaries set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) above shall be in lieu of appearance fees and per page charges mandated by the state for contract court reporters. Appearance fees and per page charges, if any, shall not be calculated in or included as salary for any purpose. However, all Superior Court Reporters may receive up to $10,000.00, in addition to the salary set forth in subsection (a) or (b), in transcript page charges per fiscal year as authorized by a Superior Court Judge in accordance with the attached Policies and Procedures for Court Reporters.

(d) Authorized staffing for the total number of Official Superior Court Reporters I or II is set at seven.

SECTION 2.

The attached Policies and Procedures for Court Reporters are hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 3.

This ordinance shall become effective on July 1, 2014.

SECTION 4.

Ordinance NO. 12-02, Ordinance NO. 13-57, and all other Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are repealed as of the effective date of this ordinance.

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Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held on the 10^th day of June, 2014; introduced a second time at a regular meeting of said Council held on the _______ day of _______________, 2014, and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote of ______ members of said Council.

Councilor Allen voting____________.
Councilor Baker voting____________.
Councilor Barnes voting___________.
Councilor Davis voting____________.
Councilor Henderson voting________.
Councilor Huff voting_____________.
Councilor McDaniel voting_________.
Councilor Pugh voting_____________.
Councilor Thomas voting___________.
Councilor Woodson voting__________.

____________________________ ______________________________
SANDRA T. DAVIS TERESA PIKE TOMLINSON
DEPUTY CLERK MAYOR

SUPERIOR COURT - COURT REPORTERS
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Annual Salary, G21, subject to the following conditions:

New employees will be G21 and justification will be provided and approved by the appropriate authority to exceed Step A.

Basis for pension calculation, no transcript or per diems

included.

Included as part of the pay plan and will receive pay increases the same as other City employees.

Not included in the merit system

Fiscal year shall be from July 1

^st

to June 30

^th

Include all City benefits to include pension, health insurance, life insurance, except that there shall be no sick and vacation time accrual.

Payment up to $10,000 in transcript page charges per fiscal year per Court Reporter shall be permitted (in 12 equal monthly installments if total amount utilized) subject to the following conditions:

All transcripts and invoices must be checked and stamped by the Clerk of Superior Court or her representative, then signed by the authorized Superior Court Judge.

Paid out of Accounts Payable (does not include FICA).

Shall be reported on 1099.

A business license and compliance with the Occupation Tax ordinance (Chapter 19, Article IV) may be required if work is performed outside the scope of employment with the Columbus Consolidated Government.

Not included in pension calculation.

Excludes capital

cases where notice of intent to seek the death penalty has been given by the District Attorney or other capital cases as specified by the Chief Superior Court Judge.

All transcripts over $10,000 for each Court Reporter will be completed at no cost to the City (included in the base salary).

Copies of transcripts for City or State departments or agencies (i.e. District Attorney, Public Defender) will be furnished at no additional cost to the City.

The primary duty of Court Reporters paid by the City shall be to service the Muscogee County Superior Court. Court Reporters shall be individually responsible for providing and, if necessary, paying from allocated transcript funds, a replacement Court Reporter approved by an appointing Judge when they cannot report for court in Muscogee County. Court Reporters shall be required to work for senior and other non-Chattahoochee Circuit Judges handling Muscogee County matters unless previously engaged in criminal court.

Expenses to include City standardized equipment, maintenance agreements on City equipment and supplies for City work, license renewal, and training as included in the Superior Court judges’ budgets annually procured through City bid/RFP/purchasing process and within city guidelines (only for City of Columbus/Muscogee County Superior Court criminal work)

All expenses must be justified and approved by the Superior Court Judge hiring said reporter. Expenses must be in the adopted budget.

City of Columbus equipment shall not be used outside of Muscogee County

for private use, including civil cases.

City equipment may be leased by the Court Reporters on a daily basis for private work, including civil cases as well as work performed outside of Muscogee County, at a rate of $50.00 per day.

Equipment remains property of the City.

Other City equipment not being used for a city purpose may be used by other court reporters if their assigned equipment is in need of repair

Any jobs utilizing the City print shop must be for City business only, initiated through a print shop work order and approved by a Superior Court Judge.