News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
City of Algood employees may receive a 5-percent pay raise this fiscal year, with administrators receiving a 10-percent raise.
Mayor Lisa Chapman-Fowler said MTAS based the pay-increase on municipalities up to five times the population of Algood.
“Well, I am disappointed. I thought that the council would consider more of the facts than just a random number that was chosen by someone and we just say okay,” Fowler said. “That’s not fiscally responsible and we have a duty to stand up for what’s right. And I think what happened tonight was a travesty.”
The Algood City Council approved the pay-increases within the 2019-2020 annual budget during a special called meeting Thursday.
The council previously tabled the budget during the regular May meeting.
Fowler said the increases and budget must be approved on a second reading before enacted July 1.
“I am very happy with the budget as it is. I never had any objection to that. I objected to the poor, well I call them worker bees, only being budgeted for one and a half percent,” Fowler said. “So I was very glad to see that go up. But these four administrators… it’s not personal.”
Administrative positions that could receive the 10 percent raise are the City Recorder, Fire Chief, Chief of Police, and City Administrator.
City Administrator Keith Morrison said the pay increase would keep Algood’s salaries similar to surrounding cities’ pay rate.
“Again, we didn’t ask for this. This was just a number that was given to us. We greatly appreciate it and we are trying to be competitive. We did that several years ago with hourly employees, trying to be more competitive,” Morrison said, “and retain employees and get better employees with CDL’s, get better recruitment with our police officers. And I think we are being more competitive across the board now.”
The council also approved a motion to begin looking for a third-party salary survey for future budgets. City officials will consider the second reading of the budget at the next council meeting.
