News
In the News: Council approves new pay plan for city employees
Posted on December 20, 2016
Originally published in the Franklin Free Press.
After a recommendation from the Russellville Civil Service Board, the Russellville City Council approved a proposed pay plan for city employees that resulted from a study by Auburn University.
The study was completed earlier this year by Auburn’s Government & Economic Development Institute and will likely result in across-the-board pay raises for city employees.
Thirty-six job descriptions, in all city departments, were developed. Job evaluations were done through a nine-factor process that ranged from knowledge required by the job to the physical demands of the job.
The city’s current compensation levels were compared to similarly situated cities, including Athens, Hamilton, Jasper, Muscle Shoals and others.
According to Russellville mayor David Grissom, the plan will result in an annual increase of $124,000 to the city’s payroll, representing approximately a five-percent city-wide increase. That increase will be weighted with a higher increase for lower-paid employees and a lower percentage for employees at the top end of pay scales.
The approved plan also calls for additional financial incentives for city firemen to become EMTs and paramedics by offering supplements to those employees’ base pay when they complete training.
In other action at Monday night’s meeting, the council:
•Renewed a contract with Bobby Brown for city chaplain services.
•Approved the renewal of School Resource Officer contracts for Donald Aycock and Cary Hitt.
•Accepted the resignation of firefighter Heath Martin from the RFD and declared a vacancy for Firefighter I and authorized advertisement to solicit job applications.
•Agreed to spend $1,352 with InCare Technologies to install and maintain a power back-up at City Hall.
•Approved a purchase of a historical marker for the City of Russellville Bicentennial in the amount of $2,360.
•Waived the rental fee at the A.W. Todd Centre for the Russellville High School football team to hold its annual banquet January 24, 2017.
The next regular meeting of the Russellville City Council is set for January 3, 2017.