Springdale approves 2022 budget

SPRINGDALE — The City Council on Tuesday approved a $57 million 2022 operating budget for the city that included $29,491 in raises for elected officials.

The vote was 6-1, with council member Mike Overton voting against the budget. Council member Mark Fougerousse did not attend the meeting.

The council approved 8% raises for elected officials serving the city and an 8.4% increase for its own members. Colby Fulfer, the city’s chief of staff, said 8% raises are similar to the raises the budget gives most other city employees.

Fulfer said the Arkansas Municipal League each year releases a summary of what it expects officials to earn based on the size of the city.

Mayor Doug Sprouse’s salary will rise from $136,610 to $147,538, an 8% increase.

City Attorney Ernest Cate’s salary will rise from $125,153 to $135,165, an 8% increase.

The salary for Denise Pearce, the city clerk and treasurer, will rise from $95,704 to $103,360, an 8% increase.

The salaries for City Council members will rise from $11,070 a year to $12,000 a year, an 8.4% increase.

Council member Kevin Flores voted against the pay increases for elected officials, which were approved together.

Flores said he preferred to focus on the service aspect of the job and wanted to reinforce that with his vote.

“I didn’t do it for the money,” he said.

Flores will complete his first year on the council Dec. 31. He noted this is the first budget for which he has voted.

Members of the Planning Commission did not receive a raise for 2022 but received a large increase for 2021 over 2020 last year, said Laura Favorite, the city’s director of financial services. Each is paid $4,800 per year.

The city sits in good financial shape, with sales tax receipts up 12% over the last year, Fulfer said.

Expected revenue for the city in 2022 is $62,671,700 — up 17% from $53,369,720 since 2020, the 2022 budget reflects.

The 2022 operating budget of $57,082,150 calls for an 8% increase over 2021’s $52,849,050. A 6% increase is more typical, Fulfer said.

The proposed budget includes a 7% to 8% pay raise for most city employees. All employees will receive raises with the city using a salary study by Johanson Group to help determine amounts.

The council on Dec. 6 added to Sprouse’s proposed budget a new reference librarian for the Springdale Public Library at $66,280 a year.

The new position will include the responsibilities of the technology coordinator position as well as librarian duties.