Discussion was held over who should be responsible for the Stuart Depot manager’s salary at the Stuart City Council’s recent meeting.

Manager Brenda Dudley’s contract expires at the end of February, and Committee member Doris Bench requested that Dudley should be paid the same amount as last year at $12,000, with the City paying $7,000 of that amount. Bench hopes for the remaining $5,000 to come from a hotel/motel tax grant. Bench commented that last year the City paid $5,000 and the Committee covered the $2,000 gap, but she said they’re not going to do that this year, as it would dwindle their fund to pay for other projects, such as new Rock Island Depot signs that they recently bought with support from the Empowering Adair County Foundation, “Brenda’s salary should be paid by the City and/or through hotel/motel tax. It shouldn’t be up to the Depot Committee to pay that salary because she’s working for the City actually.”

Bench provided the Council a list of 42 events the Depot was rented for in the last year, and stated there are 14 events already scheduled for 2020. The rental fee is $50, which goes to the City, as they own the building and handle expenses like utilities. Council member Mick Askren voiced his desire to increase that fee to $75, to which Bench disagreed because she thought it would be less affordable for the community. No action was taken on the fee, and the Council approved to pay $5,000 for Dudley’s salary, and agreed to revisit the request if the Committee doesn’t receive $7,000 from the hotel/motel tax committee.