Knox officials may soon receive a three percent raise, as the city council this week approved a salary ordinance on its first reading that included the raise for all elected officials and salaried employees. Mayor Rick Chambers explained that a few corrections do need to be reflected in the ordinance before it is passed on its second reading, however.
Chambers said the council noted some typographical errors and addition errors. While the total amounts were correct, Chambers explained that the ordinance did not increase the three Board of Zoning Appeals members’ pay by three percent each; the ordinance laid out three BZA members to be paid $491 each for an annual total of $1517 – a simple addition error that Chambers said would be corrected before the next reading. The BZA members should receive $505 each, properly reflecting that three percent increase.
The council discussed how the clerk’s, city attorney’s, mayor’s and council’s salaries were to be paid, and Chambers said the city acted on a recommendation by Umbaugh and Associates to split their expenses between the city’s general fund and the funds for the waste water and water departments. He explained this was based on rate studies that had been performed a few years ago in an effort to take pressure off the general fund.
The council will meet again on Tuesday, June 25 at 7 p.m. to discuss the matter further and vote on the ordinance’s second reading.
