Council sets base salary for mayor’s seat

With one dissenting vote, Pea Ridge City Council members voted to set the base salary for mayor’s office for the coming term at $25,000.

Council member Nadine Telgemeier cast the nay vote.

“This is setting the salary to begin in January of next year,” Mayor Jackie Crabtree explained to the Council.

“It’s based on Ordinance 513 which states that on or before the first meeting in June or July in the year which the term of the mayor expires” council must set the salary for the position, he explained.

“That’s why this is on the agen-

“This is just setting a base salary.” Bob Cottingham City Council

da. It’s not really fixing Jackie’s salary. It’s fixing the salary for the office. It can be re-fixed in January. It’s because of the election. This is not giving Jackie a raise,” Howard Slinkard, city attorney, explained.

According to the municipal code 2.24.05: “The City Council shall, on or before its first regularly scheduled meting in June in the year in which the term of the office of Mayor expires, re-fix the compensation for the office of Mayor for the succeeding term of the office. (Ord. No. 513, Sec. 1)”

“This is just setting a base salary,” Bob Cottingham, council member, said. “Then we can readjust.”

“You can raise it, but you can’t lower it,” Slinkard said.

The mayor’s salary is currently $45,000, according to City Clerk Sandy Button, who said the salary was $25,700 when the position first became a full-time position. The mayor said he earned $250 a month when it was a part-time position. Crabtree has been in office 20 years.

Telgemeier said the salary is set