Sparta Scheduling Work Session To Address Employee Pay

An in-house pay study of Sparta employees has shown a need to increase wages.

Just how much the raises would amount to unknown at this time. City Administrator Brad Hennessee told Aldermen Thursday night he recommended scheduling a work session to layout option.

“A meaningful and effective adjustment is going to be expensive,” Hennessee said. “The city just started a new budget year, and we don’t have a lot of room to do any type of meaningful pay adjustment.”

Hennessee said the Board will have to shift around funds to make a raise happen. Hennessee said he has looked at several options, but targeting entry level positions seems to be the most effective considering available funds.

“You’re talking about tens of thousands of dollars, but if you go broader than that, you’re getting in to the hundreds of thousands of dollars on a per year basis,” Hennessee said. “There are multiple ways to do it, and I think a work session is where we can look at all the options.”

Hennessee said he compared the city’s wage to cities, counties and private businesses across the region during the study. Hennessee will be in charge of scheduling the work session with the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.