Raises approved for mayor, attorney and all city employees

All city employees will receive a $1.50 per hour cost of living raise, City Council members decided during the last meeting of 2023. A raise was also approved for the mayor and city attorney.

In presenting the request for the cost of living increase, Mayor Nathan said the COLA for Social Security is 3.2% this year.

“I don’t know if we want to do a dollar amount of a percentage,” See said.

Council member Cody Keene recommended an hourly rate raise of $1.50 per employee saying he felt that would be “substantial.”

“I would be in favor of that as well,” council member Jeff Neil said.

“It helps bring the people that are down low be more copacetic,” Keene said, explaining that a percentage increase helps the more highly paid employees more than it does those on the lower end of the pay scale.

City attorney Shane Perry said that method would provide the people at the lower levels of pay with a higher percentage raise.

“It’s one of the most fair ways to do it,” Keene said.

The motion was approved unanimously by the four of six council members present. Council members Steve Guthrie and Ginger Larsen were not present.

In addition, the council agreed to increase the mayor’s salary to $100,000. The subject had been broached at the November meeting and was put on the agenda for the December City Council meeting. Mayor Nathan See left the room during the discussion on that subject.

The current mayor’s salary is $75,000.

“We’re paying the leader of our city substantially less than a good portion of our employees,” Keene said, adding that he believes “you get what you pay for.”

According to the list of city salaries released in early 2023, there are six employees who earn more than $70,000 with one earning $93,600.

“I feel like our mayor has gone above and beyond,” he said.

“I would like to see him make at least more than our highest paid city employee,” Keene said, noting that the highest paid employee (Ken Hayes) earns $93,600. “That’s a little unfair. I would like to propose $100,000. I feel like we’re getting just representation for our citizens and him, whoever is in that position gives us the ability to give us what we pay for.”

City attorney Shane Perry noted, “He’s the leader of a $20 million budget with the support of the people here and that’s not a small job. I know that any time I call, day or night, he’s instantly available and on it.”

City Clerk Sandy Button concurred. “It’s amazing how much he does.”

Upon returning to the room and being told of the raise, See said, “Thank you, guys, so much. I appreciate that. Thank you so much. You don’t know what that means.”

The council also agreed to increase the pay for the city attorney when they renewed his contract. His hourly rate increased from $200 to $250 per hour. Shane Perry has been the city attorney since 2016.

The contract for city prosecutor Jay Williams was approved for renewal.