Bella Vista City Council Set Salaries For Elected Officials

BELLA VISTA -- The City Council voted to set the salaries of elected officials Monday night, after five months of discussion.

Aldermen voted 3-2 to approve an amended resolution. Aldermen Jerry Snow and Becky Morgan voted against it. Alderman Larry Wilson, chairman of the committee established in February to study these salaries, was absent and excused from the meeting.

Mayor Frank Anderson chose to cast a positive vote on the issue, passing the resolution 4-2.

According to the resolution, elected officials include a full-time mayor, part-time aldermen, part-time city clerk and part-time city attorney. This year, the positions of mayor, city clerk, city attorney and three aldermen are up for election.

Anderson is not seeking re-election for a third term.

The resolution raises the mayor's salary to $73,600 from $66,000. Aldermen's annual pay is increased to $5,640 from $5,040 and the city clerk's annual pay will increase to $4,200 from $3,600. The annual pay for the elected city attorney will not change, and is set at $4,500.

Snow, the second council member on the two-man salary committee, said he wished to table the issue indefinitely because suggested amendments to the resolution would change the document altogether. Anderson suggested the group hold final discussions and approve the resolution at the meeting.

"We owe it to the people who are going to run (for an elected office) to have something to hang their hat on," Anderson said.

The filing period for those wishing to seek election begins July 25, and runs through noon Aug. 15. According to city ordinance, salaries of elected officials must be set by July 1 for the following year. Salaries can be increased later by the council.

"We've been discussing this since February," Anderson said, adding the group has "talked this to death," and didn't seem to be any closer to a decision at "crunch time."

Alderman Jim Wozniak motioned to raise the city clerk's salary to $12,000 annually, to attract "decent people with qualifications and ambition," he said. There was no second to his motion.

Snow motioned to make no changes to the salaries, and Alderman Allen King seconded to allow for discussion, he said.

Alderman Dick Rooney said the mayor's salary should not remain the same, so that the city can "draw people with ability, education and experience." Snow agreed, but asked why the salary couldn't be changed in the future.

Rooney said even though two people have already announced their candidacy for mayor, including Wozniak and Peter Christie, it could still be possible to attract more candidates.

Morgan said the council would be sending "an incomplete message to anyone who wants to run."

Snow's motion was defeated 2-3, with Rooney, Morgan and Wozniak voting no.

The resolution also states full-time elected officials are eligible to participate in the city's employee health plan and 457 retirement plan, subject to the terms of the plan.