City workers on verge of pay raises if council OKs budget

Pay raises and bonuses for Charlotte city workers are on the agenda for City Council this week.

Council members are expected to vote on a proposed $3.2 billion budget Tuesday night. The 2023 fiscal year begins July 1.

The proposed budget includes various salary hikes, including raising the city workers’ minimum wage to $20 an hour, Observer staff writer Will Wright reported earlier this month.

The City Council and mayor also would receive a pay raise of 4%, which matches what’s proposed for salaried employees.

The proposed budget also includes:

▪ A 5.5% bump in the police budget to account for increases in compensation, health care and retirement;

▪ Fee increases for services such as solid waste and water;

▪ Increases in the street parking rate for uptown and South End, and a new fee for parking on Saturdays.

The council will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The meetings will be broadcast on the Government Channel and the city’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

On the county side, Mecklenburg commissioners heard from residents on a proposed $2.1 billion budget during a public hearing Wednesday. The board is expected to adopt County Manager Dena Diorio’s budget plan on June 22.

The county board is next scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. on June 7.

Pride now and Pride later

Pride Month, a monthlong, global celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, begins Wednesday, but in Charlotte the festivities will take place later this summer.

Charlotte Pride Week is set for Aug. 12-21 after two years of virtual and limited in-person events, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. The celebration culminates with an uptown parade on Sunday, Aug. 21.

There’s a final June 26 deadline for vendor/exhibitor and parade applications. Visit charlottepride.org for more info.

In the meantime, Charlotte Pride has volunteer opportunities open to everyone, and the Observer has compiled a list of other LGBTQ+ groups in the area. Find the list at https://bit.ly/38NvNSs

3 from CharlotteFive

▪ Spend Memorial Day on at Lake Norman aboard the Mississippi River boat Catawba Queen. Learn about the history of the lake from the boat’s captain on the open-air deck while enjoying a boxed lunch. Cruises are 1.5 hours, with three departure times. Ticket prices vary and are available online. Queens Landing, 1459 River Hwy. https://bit.ly/3G8BpCU

▪ Celebrate Global Running Day at NoDa Brewing Company with NoDa Run Club. The family and pet-friendly event includes outdoor games, carnival food, tie dye, prizes, craft beer and optional 1-, 3- or 5-mile runs beginning at 6:30 p.m. Free. 6-9 p.m.2921 N. Tryon St. https://bit.ly/38NB5wZ

▪ Experience a night out with Nicholas Sparks, the New York Times bestselling author of iconic books-turned-feature-films such as “The Notebook,” at An Evening with Nicholas Sparks. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $29.50-$65.50. Purchase online. Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St. https://bit.ly/3LHxCxC

Sports in Charlotte

▪ The Charlotte Checkers entered the weekend down 2-0 in their best-of-5 AHL playoff series against the Springfield Thunderbirds. Game 3 was scheduled for Saturday night. If Games 4 and 5 are necessary, they’ll be played at Bojangles Coliseum on Sunday and Tuesday.

▪ After last week’s loss in the U.S. Open Cup and this weekend’s match in Seattle, Charlotte FC is taking a break. The club returns to host New York Red Bulls at Bank of America Stadium at 3 p.m. on June 11.

▪ The Charlotte Knights welcome the Memphis Redbirds for a six-game series at Truist Field that begins Tuesday night. This week’s promotions include Racing Night, Ladies Night, and two nights of fireworks.

Don’t Miss

▪ “Fiddler on the Roof,” the beloved Broadway musical, comes to Charlotte’s Belk Theater, with performances running from Tuesday to June 5. Tickets start at $25.

▪ Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Bonnie Raitt brings her “Just Like That ...” tour to Ovens Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The 10-time Grammy winner will be joined by fellow folk and country singer Lucinda Williams. Tickets start at $50.

▪ Sip on wines, ciders and craft brews, and enjoy live music at the eighth annual South End Wine & Hops Fest. 1 p.m.-6 p.m, Thursday- Sunday. Lenny Boy Brewing, 3000 S. Tryon St. Tickets start at $25. southendwineandhopsfest.com.

Compiled by Rogelio Aranda