FAYETTEVILLE — The next City Council, to be sworn in Jan. 3, will be paid more than outgoing aldermen.
At A Glance
Also on Tuesday, the City Council:
-Recognized outgoing aldermen Brenda Boudreaux (Ward 1), Bobby Ferrell (Ward 3) and Sarah Lewis (Ward 4) for their combined 24 years of City Council service.
-Approved a $675,000 contract with Garver engineers for design of an entertainment district parking deck.
-Agreed to prohibit residential development on 40 acres in southwest Fayetteville where the C&L Landfill operated in the 1970s. The land is in an area off Cato Springs Road where a regional park is planned.
-Approved an agreement with the Beaver Water District, through which the city will spend $50,000 annually for the next five years in an effort to reduce nutrient loads in local waterways.
-Rezoned 111 acres of parkland, trail corridors and natural areas from a variety of zoning districts to an institutional designation.
-Appointed 22 people to nine volunteer boards and commissions.
Source: Staff Report
Council members unanimously voted Tuesday to increase aldermen’s annual pay from $8,400 to $12,504. Aldermen will receive automatic increases in future years at a rate equal to any increase to the mayor’s salary.
Ward 4 Alderwoman Sarah Lewis, one of three council members to propose the change, said it was needed to recognize the time and effort elected officials put into the job.
In addition to weekly council meetings and agenda review sessions, each alderman serves on two council committees, and many act as liaisons to regional boards and volunteer committees. Lewis said aldermen also spend countless hours preparing for meetings, communicating with constituents and attending public functions.
“I didn’t get into this for the money,” said Rhonda Adams, the council’s other Ward 4 representative.
But, she added, compensating council members relieves the burden of having to take time away from a full-time job and encourages anyone to run for elected office.
Aldermen’s pay has not increased since 1999.
In a separate decision Tuesday, council members approved a change to city code that allows the mayor to waive an annual salary increase as required by Fayetteville law.
Mayor Lioneld Jordan, who earns $107,039 per year, requested the change. He said Tuesday he did not feel comfortable accepting a raise until city employees are adequately compensated.
The city’s 2013 budget calls for 2 percent raises for all full-time and hourly employees. Jordan has said he intends to give employees an additional 2 percent increase this spring when the books are closed on 2012.
The mayor’s hourly pay rate grew from $34.57 in 1999 to $51.46 in 2012, according to the city’s budget division. Jordan’s salary has not increased since 2009, when he took office.