Germantown mayor, aldermen, judges may see pay rise
Last salary adjustment for aldermen was in 2009
Germantown aldermen, judges and the mayor could see a pay raise in the coming years.
The Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Monday held the first reading on an ordinance for increased salaries for the mayor, the two elected city judges and the five aldermen and set the next reading and public hearing for Nov. 22.
“It’s hard to say where we should fall,” said City Administrator Patrick Lawton who presented the pay raise proposal to the board.
“I brought this topic up for the board in discussion during our most recent visioning session several months ago and told the board of mayor and aldermen, at that time, that I would bring forth a recommendation for salary adjustments to this body before the end of the calendar year.”
The last mayor and aldermen salary adjustment was in January 2009, while the last judge pay raise was in August 2018.
Lawton said those in office work more now than over a decade ago and deserve adequate pay.
Currently, aldermen earn $1,000 per month, while the mayor earns $2,000 monthly and judges earn $40,000 yearly.
Lawton suggested to increase the mayor’s monthly salary to $3,500 and the aldermen’s pay to $1,750 by Jan. 1, 2025.
The judges’ salaries would increase to $50,000 yearly by August 2022.
“Raising the pay of the aldermen is not something to take lightly because everything we do that spends money we shouldn’t take lightly,” Alderman Brian Ueleke said noting the pay raises would be 16 years apart. “I don’t know that $21,000 a year is the right number, I think strategically we should consider a raise on a more frequent basis.”
Alderman Sherrie Hicks agreed with Ueleke that the board should look at raises more often.
Alderman Scott Sanders said he plans to further discuss the raises with staff.
The board also unanimously approved the establishment of a stormwater advisory commission — a team of experts in hydrology, civil engineering, stormwater management and construction to advise the board on runoff issues.
The commission will consist of seven voting members with one non-voting member from the Financial Advisory Commission. The mayor will assign an alderman as a liaison and the aldermen will appoint five of the members.
The board will appoint members beginning in 2022.
Dima Amro covers the suburbs for The Commercial Appeal and can be reached at Dima.amro@commercial appeal.com.