Fire and Police Pension Fund Discussion.

The City Council Budget/Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to meet this evening in City Hall at 7 p.m. The agenda includes consideration and discussion of a Police and Fireman’s Pension fund request for funding.

The City police and fire personnel use a different retirement plan that other City employees. There have been some questions raised as to the difference in the amount of funding that is contributed by the City to the two funds.

Each fund uses its own particular actuary to determine the amount of funding necessary to produce the desired benefits.

The City contributes 11.1% of salaries to the City employees’ fund. It contributes 6.3% to the Police and Fire Pension fund. The two funds produce similar benefits for retired employees. The City employees do receive a cost of living increase after they retire. The Police and Fire Pension plan does not provide for a cost of living increase.

The Committee considered a proposal from the Pension Committee last year but failed to include any increase in City contributions in the budget.

On past trips through Nevada (the state) I’ve wondered why someone would want to live out in the middle of the desert, isolated by miles of sand. No services such as sewer, water or street maintenance. As odd as it may seem to those of us who choose to live in a community, those who live in the desert like it that way.

I’m thinkin’ it comes more from the fact that they enjoy not havin’ to answer to anyone. They may be responsible folks, but they don’t have to be responsible to any other person. If they live in a fire trap, attract rats, or raise pigs, only they have ta live with it.

Livin’ in a community brings the obligation for some responsibility to the health and welfare of the community. Folks tend ta locate in communities that match their level of that responsibility.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Workman's Loan

Dear Al: I always start off each growing season with sharp shovels and hoes. You wouldn’t believe how much faster you can chop down weeds or dig a hole for a tree when you have a sharp tool.

It takes about 10 minutes to sharpen each tool, and it usually lasts me a whole season. Sharpening a shovel also takes the strain off its handle, since you don’t have to put so much weight behind it when you’re using it. - M.K.

Q. I have 4-inch ceramic tiles around my kitchen sink and on my counter tops. The filler between the tiles has worn down in some spots, and it looks bad when it is dirty. Is there a way to fill in these bad spots? - G.P.

A: The filler between the tiles themselves - the grout - is available in a ready mix or powder form.

The filler between the sink and the tiles is usually caulk. Get a caulk specified for use on tubs or sinks. Since the caulk has some flexibility, it can better handle the problems of expansion and contraction between the two different materials, tile and sink.

Remove the old grout and fill the joints with the right color of new grout, and use the caulk where it is needed.

A SUPER HINT - Instead of mowing over your lawn sprinkler heads or trying to edge around them, use a tin can. Empty the can, and clean it out. Place it, open-side down, over the sprinkler head and push down. The can will cut right through the grass, and you can pull the sod right up.