Mayor says projected pay raise is "too much"
Madison Finance Committee Chair Larry Vannoy announced at Monday's City Council meeting his proposal for a 20 percent increase in salary for the person elected to serve as the city's mayor next year, but the current mayor feels the number is "extravagant."
Under Vannoy's proposal, the next elected mayor would earn $90,000 a year. The current pay schedule has Madison Mayor Sandy Kirkindall earning a salary of $73,800 through the end of his term in 2008. This is lower than mayors of many other similarly sized Alabama cities are currently receiving.
He stated the salary of the mayor of Decatur, $98,510, along with those of Florence, Gadsden and Hoover, all $90,000. Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer earns a salary of $83,000.
Vannoy said the city wanted to attract good mayoral candidates in the future and he didn't want salary to "keep people away."
Kirkindall countered that the job is not about the money.
"I don't think it is warranted. This is a public service position and if you're in it for the money, you're in the wrong place," he said.
The mayor said he would be OK with a modest raise, 5 or 6 percent instead of 20. Vannoy suggested giving raise back to general fund if mayor didn't want to accept it. Kirkindall's salary is currently the 10th highest in the city-with this raise it will be the ninth highest, Vannoy said.
Councilmember Cynthia McCollum echoed Vannoy's justification of the large pay increase.
"Madison is a progressive, growing city... with (the Base Realignment and Closure program) the mayor will have more responsibilities. I feel it is the right thing to do," she said.
Under the proposal, the city council would receive 15 percent of the mayor's salary with a 3 percent cost of living adjustment each year.
If approved, the changes would apply to the mayor and council serving from 2009 to 2012.
