Discussion of the mayor, city clerk, and city employee salaries took up much of Eureka Springs city council’s Monday meeting.
During Public Comments, resident Pat Matsukis requested more time for the public to give input on salary increases, suggesting the starting date of increases for the mayor and clerk be in 2023. She said it was “ludicrous” that the city clerk may not be given the same amount of money as the mayor. She also said there was no definition in city code if the mayor is a full-time position and whether they can hold a second job. Matsukis finished saying she wants a committee to look over those matters and while she agreed that the mayor and clerk should make more money, it should be done “sustainably.”
Karen Lindblad seconded what Matsukis said and lamented the $250,000 council approved in November to pay for installation of a roundabout at the intersection of US 62 and Hwy. 23. She cited leaking water lines, uneven and broken streets, and new sidewalks as more important items than the installation of a roundabout and asked when council would begin spending money on the town.
With that said, city council deliberated once more how much of a raise the city clerk should receive. Ords. 2318-19 have gone through several amendments since their first reading in late February, starting at the meeting of $40,000 for the clerk and $48,000 for the mayor.
Alderman Melissa Greene moved to amend Ord. 2318 to increase the raise to the clerk’s salary from $40,000 to $48,000, saying that with Ann Armstrong retiring there was a need to attract the right kind of people for the job and they would need to pay accordingly. She also said that since the position does not receive health benefits from the city, it would need to be considered with the salary.
Alderman Nicholas Roberts spoke of his own research on city clerk positions in other cities. He said that the average for cities in Arkansas ranging in population from 500 – 2,500 was $33,000 but noted that for Eureka Springs, the population of around 2,000 was not indicative to the size of the city due to influx of tourists. He said he looked at cities with population between 2,500 – 10,000 and the average for the city clerk treasurer to make was $51,000. He floated $45,000 as a fair middle ground.
Mayor Butch Berry noted that when choosing salaries for department heads, he looks to both the averages of cities of the same size and the next threshold that Roberts used. Alderman Bill Ott noted the problem wasn’t whether the clerk should receive a raise, but that council needed to agree on what size Eureka Springs should be considered with its tourism industry. He agreed 2,500 – 10,000 population as a good threshold to follow.
Alderman Terry McClung noted council was handling major expenditures in 2022 and urged caution on going heavy on spending. Discussion waffled on the extent of the raise. Alderman Harry Meyer noted raises to the mayor and clerk’s salaries are less than half of 1% of the city’s total budget, attempting to put them in perspective.
Originally, Greene had made a motion to amend Ord. 2318 to increase the clerk’s raise to $48,000 with Roberts second for the discussion to be had. She withdrew the motion to allow Roberts to make his own motion. The motion was the same and Greene seconded. The amendment passed 5-1 with McClung dissenting. Ord. 2318 was then passed on third and final reading 5-1.
Council moved on to Ord. 2319 raising the mayor’s salary to $48,000 annually. Roberts wished to know whether or not the mayor’s position is part-time, referencing the Municipal League. Berry replied that it was an elected position and explained that the weekly hours fluctuate to beyond 40 hours and fewer than 40 hours. City Clerk Ann Armstrong mentioned that in city code the position is not defined as full or part-time.
Aldermen Autumn Slane and Roberts suggested a stronger definition of the mayor’s duties and that it be labeled full-time. Berry said that city code was based on state code. Discussion followed on whether to more define the mayor’s duties by city ordinance but no motions on it were made. Ord. 2319 passed third and final reading 5-1 with McClung voting No.
Finally, there was discussion on giving raises to city employees. Greene noted the need to retain employees and Slane said that the standard of living wages for the mayor and clerk should be applied for city employees. Berry mentioned that once you start giving raises that those higher up the ladder will want raises as well and the impact is a domino effect to the city budget.
Slane argued that raises don’t need to be done to every department at once but that employees may be tempted to leave to work for other cities as they can make more. Roberts said it may be hard to do, but that if it needs to be done than it needs to be done. Berry said he would speak with the city finance director and see what the impact to the city budget would be.
Other Items
- Berry asked for a moment of silence for the recently passed Tim Weaver, who had served as city attorney for more than 20 years. The city will be accepting applications for the city attorney position to fill the vacancy until the election later in the year.
- 2321 amending food truck lottery slots along US 62 to eight from three passed through three readings and invoked with an emergency clause to be made immediate, unanimously. There was a moment where review of the language of the ordinance was needed before passage.
- 2320 turning Lower German Alley from Cliff to Center Cushing Sts. into a one way going up passed through three readings unanimously though no emergency clause was invoked to make it immediate. Cliff St. resident Susie Allen thanked council for taking resident suggestions in Public Comments.
- Resolution 817 to restatement of retirement plans via VALIC retirement services company passed unanimously. The resolution is an annual resolution.