Watkinsville City Council votes its Mayor a $2,500 pay raise
The Watkinsville City Council decided to increase the annual salary of the Mayor in a special called meeting Tuesday evening at the Community Center. Council member Brian Brodrick made a motion and was seconded by Toby Smith to increase the pay $2,500.00 next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012. The salary will increase from $7,200.00 to $9,800.00. A special condition was added that any future pay increases be discussed by that particular council and not set in stone by this particular pay raise.
After hearing many reservations voiced by council members Mike Link and Henry Norman, the measure passed unanimously. Council member Samantha Purcell was unable to attend, as was city attorney Joe Reitman, Jr. absent. At one point city clerk Julie Sanders attempted to call Reitman at the behest of outgoing Mayor Joe Walter, only to receive voice mail. They were asking to make sure the qualifying fees would remain the same next week. Walter refereed the brief event with his same concerned and inquisitive "folksy" manner that has come to be a hallmark of his tenure. Brodrick referenced the seamless growth, transition, and benevolent reign of Walter and his predecessor Jim Luken being quite generous in their time donated to the city.
Sanders prepared a very informative chart demonstrating the annual pay and even structure of the municipal government is somewhat lacking compared to Georgia cities of similar sizes and population. The Mayor of Watkinsville is expected to work around 30 hours a week supervising an annual budget of just over a $1,000,000.00 with 13 full-time employees and two part-time workers.
So far the only announced candidate in a mustachioed Charles Ivie made his first appearance at the Council meeting to say he did not think the time was right to increase the pay, despite the fact that he would be the one potentially benefitting from the pay raise (if no one else declares and qualifies). It was the first time that this interested attendant had seen Ivie attending a meeting of the Watkinsville City Council, possibly for the first time since he was on the council in 1974. Qualifying for the Mayoral election commences next week at the City Hall.
There were as many reporters in attendance as there were attendants in the special called meeting.
After hearing many reservations voiced by council members Mike Link and Henry Norman, the measure passed unanimously. Council member Samantha Purcell was unable to attend, as was city attorney Joe Reitman, Jr. absent. At one point city clerk Julie Sanders attempted to call Reitman at the behest of outgoing Mayor Joe Walter, only to receive voice mail. They were asking to make sure the qualifying fees would remain the same next week. Walter refereed the brief event with his same concerned and inquisitive "folksy" manner that has come to be a hallmark of his tenure. Brodrick referenced the seamless growth, transition, and benevolent reign of Walter and his predecessor Jim Luken being quite generous in their time donated to the city.
Sanders prepared a very informative chart demonstrating the annual pay and even structure of the municipal government is somewhat lacking compared to Georgia cities of similar sizes and population. The Mayor of Watkinsville is expected to work around 30 hours a week supervising an annual budget of just over a $1,000,000.00 with 13 full-time employees and two part-time workers.
So far the only announced candidate in a mustachioed Charles Ivie made his first appearance at the Council meeting to say he did not think the time was right to increase the pay, despite the fact that he would be the one potentially benefitting from the pay raise (if no one else declares and qualifies). It was the first time that this interested attendant had seen Ivie attending a meeting of the Watkinsville City Council, possibly for the first time since he was on the council in 1974. Qualifying for the Mayoral election commences next week at the City Hall.
There were as many reporters in attendance as there were attendants in the special called meeting.
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