Pay raises for Opp council?
Published 1:01 am Tuesday, December 8, 2015
The Opp City Council plans to look into passing a pay raise for the next council administration.
Councilman Bobby Ray Owens asked City Clerk Connie Smith about a step raise for council members who complete a third step in the certification process for elected officials through the Alabama League of Municipalities.
Smith said that the city’s ordinance only addresses the first two steps – basic and advanced.
For both of those steps, the town council receives $150 per step per month.
State law prohibits municipal governments from giving themselves raises during their terms.
Smith said they had until February to decide if they wanted to implement a pay change for the next administration.
Mayor John Bartholomew said council members could choose to give a raise on the basic pay, which is currently set at $400 per month, plus the additional funds for those who have completed the first two certification steps.
Opp city attorney Rainer Cotter said the council would have to amend the ordinance and put in another step for it to be authorized.
The next administration will take office in November 2016.
The municipal election will be in August.