The mayor and board of aldermen in Madison recently compared their current salaries to officials in Ridgeland, and decided it was time to make a change.
Last year, Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler’s salary was $60,000, and aldermen salaries were $12,000. Now, the mayor is making $98,000, and aldermen have a $24,000 salary.
“Those numbers are a comparison, reflective off Ridgeland,” Mike Hudgins, Ward 5 Alderman, said. “Ridgeland’s salary is lower for aldermen, but they provide health insurance benefits, which the city of Madison does not.”
Last October, Ridgeland officials received increased salaries. Mayor Gene McGee’s salary increased from $92,000 to approximately $94,300. Aldermen salaries increased to $18,800.
“We look at cost of living every year,” said Paula Tierce, Ridgeland city clerk and director of finance and administration. “The board voted to give (all city) employees and officials a 2.5 percent cost of living increase.”
This is the first time Madison officials have given themselves a raise in 12 years.
“I’ve served 12 years. Previously to me being elected, the salary was decreased to $8,000 for the city to be able to afford the addition of a police officer to the police department,” Hudgins said. “When I started, salaries were reset back to $12,000.”
When officials increased board salaries, they did not set an automatic annual increase. Any future salary increase would have to repeat the process of undergoing a vote by the board.
“We have, over the years, discussed the comparison between Madison and other cities. We knew we were behind the scale, but it was a job we took, and I don’t know of any aldermen that serve in Madison as their main source of income.”
Hudgins said city officials couldn’t justify or support a pay increase before, but now feel like it can be done without increasing taxes on citizens.
“Our mayor has served the city of Madison and its citizens for a love of the city. She has not done it for monetary reasons. She has been underpaid for decades in comparison to other cities.”
With Butler just winning another term as mayor after serving Madison for 36 years, the city is looking to make the position more appealing to future mayoral candidates. Many aldermen are looking to retire soon as well, according to Hudgins.
“It’s important that we create an environment with the city that will attract new candidates and other people that might not serve otherwise.”
Madison city clerk Susan Crandall said the city has not completed a cost of living assessment since she started in December 1998.
“But since I’ve been here, the mayor and board have always given employees increases in pay,” Crandall said. “The board just doesn’t get one each year because they want to take care of citizens before they take care of themselves.”
THE CLINTON mayor and board fall a little short of Ridgeland and Madison after Madison’s recent increase. Last year, Mayor Phil Fisher’s salary was $80,000.
According to Russell Wall, Clinton city clerk, the mayor’s salary increased from $65,000 to $80,000 in 2008. Each alderman’s salary has been $12,500 since 2005.
Last month, each alderman received a $2,500 raise following aldermen elections in June.
“The new board (started) July 1, 2017, and each alderman (now makes) $15,000 instead of $12,500 per year,” Wall said.
The mayor did not receive a salary increase for this fiscal year.
“There were three percent raises given each year to all city employees (besides the mayor and aldermen), but that stopped in 2013,” Wall said. “Most people haven’t gotten raises since then because jobs were rearranged and some people got promotions.”
During his 12 years of service, Wall said a cost of living assessment has not been issued.
Brandon officials’ salaries were comparable to Clinton’s. Last year, Mayor Butch Lee had a $74,500 salary, and each alderman had a $17,000 salary.
According to city clerk Angela Bean, cost of living is reviewed annually at budget time, which usually occurs in September.
“Salary increases depend on what the cost of living turns out to be,” said Bean. “The mayor and board don’t typically get increases.”
The most recent salary increase for the mayor and board was issued in September 2014, according to a 2016 Northside Sun article.
