The Greenville City Council is considering a pair of proposed ordinances that would increase the mayor's salary to $48,000 and each council member's salary to $8,400 annually.

The two ordinances - 2006-01 and 2006-02, respectively - will be voted on at the next council meeting on Feb. 27.

The salary increases would not go into effect until October 2008, the year of the next general election. The mayor is currently paid $13,000 per year, while council members receive $$3,600 in annual compensation.

McLendon said with Greenville's growth in recent years, he's found himself spending more and more time tending to city business and he agreed the mayor should be compensated accordingly.

&#8220I'm spending about 40 to 50 hours per week doing the job,” he said. &#8220And I've been doing it for four or five years. Greenville has really changed in the last three years, with Hyundai coming in, and all the new developments. It's hard for me to keep up with what's going on. My calendar is full on a daily basis.”

McLendon said in 2008 it would be 20 years since an increase in salary for the mayor or city council.

Presently, he said he plans to run for another term for mayor.

&#8220But that's almost three years down the road,” he said. &#8220We want people to realize that we're setting a standard for the next administration. Yes, things being as they are now, I plan on running again and I'd like to be paid more. But who knows what will happen in three years?”

Section 11-43-6 of the Code of Alabama, stipulates that the mayor and council shall receive a salary, payable in equal monthly installments, as the council prescribes. It also dictates that the council must fix the salary not less than six months prior to a general election.

Should the ordinances pass, starting in 2008 the mayor would be paid a monthly allotment of $4,000 per month, while city council members would receive $700 per month.

McLendon said he had no input in the amount of salary increases. The numbers were arrived at by the city council, working in conjunction with City Clerk Linda Vandenbosch. McLendon said the salaries are on par with what is paid to city officials in other Alabama cities similar in size to Greenville.

McLendon said he knew the higher salaries would have its detractors.

&#8220I feel the people who are going to complain are going to be the ones who would have complained no matter how much we raised it,” he said.

In other business at Monday night's meeting, the council:

Reappointed Scott McNaughton to a six-year term with the Greenville Planning Commission.

Authorized bids for 2006 street paving project.

Approved a resolution authorizing a $15,000 draw to the Butler County Board of Education from school refinancing bond account.

Approved a resolution authorizing issuance of an off-premise retail beer and wine business license for USA Travel Centers, LLC d/b/a Greenville Travel Center.

Authorized the following expenditures: $5,970 to Powell Tractor Company for two bushhog rotary cutters for street department; $2,791 to Gulf States Distributors for training ammunition for the Greenville Police Department; $7,023 to Gulf States Distributors for equipment for the GPD's Special Response Team to be paid out of drug forfeiture funds; $5,000 to Truck Equipment Sales, Inc. for service body to be installed on new street department 1-ton truck.