Three prominent Athens city officials could receive up to a 2 percent pay raise every year for the next four years if City Council votes in favor of the increase.
Despite cutting four city positions from the $11.7 million General Fund to help balance 2011's $31.2 million budget, council members introduced at yesterday's City Council meeting a four-year plan that would increase the mayor's, auditor's and law director's salaries.
The four positions were cut to help counteract these pay raises, but were not occupied when the cuts were made, said City Auditor Kathy Hecht.
For one thing
not all the positions were cut from the same department and funding source Hecht said.
If the council votes in favor of the raises, the mayor would receive an average of about a 1 percent pay raise each year through 2015, while the city auditor and law director would receive an average of about a 2 percent increase, according to the proposed ordinance.
The raises would not be implemented until Jan. 1, 2012.
When people work hard they want rewarded
Hecht said. It's hard to expect people to work here without raises.
The raises are well within the 2011 budget for 2011, she added.
Non-union workers employed by the city received a 2 percent increase in pay to their annual salaries, which determined the percent increase proposed for the three officials, Hecht said.
City Council members, including the council president, have decided not to increase their compensation for the next four years, said Jim Sands, D-at Large.
The members of City Council are all part-time positions
so they're not relying on this pay to feed their families
Hecht said.
The proposed salary increases for the three positions are full time positions and therefore a raise is necessary, she said.
City officials are in the process of determining a salary raise for the city treasurer, but because the position is not up for re-election this year, it is not imperative to set an amount at this time, Hecht said.
A special session will be held at next week's council meeting so members can cast their official votes, she said. The decision must be made prior to Feb. 4 because of upcoming elections, she said.
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Rachel Snively
