Columbus City Council unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2024 budget Thursday morning, but not before going back over some already-turned ground.
By the time the dust settled, the council had rescinded raises to Columbus Fire and Rescue’s administrative assistant and to Fire Chief Duane Hughes and tweaked the step pay plan at the police department.
Tuesday, the council voted to give raises to three employees at CFR: the administrative assistant’s annual salary went from $31,070 to $39,750; the assistant chief position, which is currently vacant, was raised from $60,000 to $68,000; and Hughes’ salary was increased from $71,000 to $80,000.
Thursday, the council clawed back the administrative assistant’s raise, which led to Hughes voluntarily surrendering his.
Ward 5 Councilman Stephen Jones said he wanted to “revisit” the raise for the administrative assistant because it wasn’t in line with what the others throughout the city made.
“Since everybody else got a 3% raise, I think we need to take that one down to 3%, too,” Jones said.
Jones also suggested looking at setting up a citywide step pay program for administrative assistants.
Vice Mayor and Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens said he thought the pay raise in fire and rescue was ill-conceived.
“I don’t think the process was thought through when they put just one (raise) out there,” Mickens said. “We’re getting phone calls from all the other department heads asking why she’s getting a raise and nobody else is getting nothing. It’s putting the council in a bad position.”
Jones moved, with a second by Ward 1 Councilwoman Ethel Stewart, to take back the $8,680 original raise and instead give the administrative assistant the 3% raise the council had already approved on Thursday. That puts the administrative assistant’s salary at $32,002.
Tuesday, among other things, the council approved an across-the-board 3% cost-of-living raise for all city employees. However, the 3% raises did not apply to employees who got other pay bumps.
Hughes suggested he also be given the 3% raise instead of the $9,000 approved Tuesday, and the council agreed and amended the motion, which passed unanimously. That sets his new salary at $73,130.
The council also tweaked the step pay program for the Columbus Police Department.
Tuesday the council approved steps for patrol officers, and, while the dollar amounts largely remained the same, the years of service were made more concrete and a new pay level was added.
Under the revised step plan, patrol officers with zero to two years will go from $39,500 to $40,000. Officers with three years experience will be paid $43,500, from a rate of $41,500; four to six years experience will make $45,000, versus $41,500 before; and at six years will make $48,500.
The council also added a pay grade for officers who have been hired but not yet gone to the academy. Upon being hired they will make $40,000, and upon graduation from the academy will be paid $41,500.
After the dickering was done, Ward 6 Councilwoman Jacqueline DiCicco moved, with a second by Mickens, to approve the FY 2024 budget. It passed unanimously.
State law requires the budget be approved by Sept. 15. The fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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