Board Discusses Adjusting Pay For Mayor, Council

Southwest City’s board of alderman unanimously voted to reopen City Hall to the public, effective Wednesday, May 13, during the regular council meeting on Tuesday.

The council also discussed adjusting the pay for council members and the mayor. City Clerk Krystal Austen provided the council with the wages of surrounding municipal governments.

Alderman Joe Carpenter suggested that a pay raise might incite interest in the positions. He also recommended the current council members retain the current wage until the term ends in April.

“Money will attract people, but will it attract the right people?” Alderman Amber Killion asked.

After discussion, the council voted to raise the mayor’s wage to $125 per meeting, the mayor pro-tem’s wage to $100 per meeting and alderman’s wage to $80 per meeting, effective April 2021.

Unfinished Business

Alderman Carpenter presented council members with a digital sketch of his proposed repairs to the Honey Creek dam. He noted the area has been repaired numerous times before but never permanently.

“In my opinion, I think this is the best way to fix it permanently,” Carpenter said. “And it’s not gonna cost anything for me to do a little legwork and find [assistance with] money.”

Alderman Killion said that Anderson Engineering may be able to provide input on the dam as well.

“And we’re not pressed for time anymore,” Killion noted, referring to the cancellation of ball season and community events such as the Third of July.

Departmental Reports

Fire Chief Shane Clark reported that, since the last meeting, the department has responded to two medical calls and provided mutual aid for one structure fire.

Alderman Carpenter inquired