Despite one alderman”s concerns about the impact on the city”s budget, the Board of Aldermen approved three hires Tuesday with salaries totaling $143,000.
District 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins aired his concerns prior to the board”s hiring Randall Grice as systems/network administrator for the IT Department, Andrew Nagel as GIS coordinator for the Public Services Department and Bobby Hall as building official for the Building, Codes and Planning Department.
“These salaries are too exorbitant,” said Perkins, before adding that the city is “moving toward bigger government” and pointing out that the city just began paying the mayor a salary greater than $50,000 during the last term.
“These high salaries are going to bankrupt this city. We have enough taxes in this town,” he continued before turning his attention to the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors, which he accused of “(giving) themselves a raise.”
“I don”t know why they feel they need a raise. They do less than we do. They drive a truck and get free gas. I”m glad it”s an election year,” said Perkins.
Perkins singled out the new building official, noting his salary concern was not personal toward Hall or the city”s personnel officer, for being hired at a starting salary of $54,000. He expressed outrage that a building official would be make more than most police officers, whose jobs are far more hazardous, as well as most city department heads.
“That”s a shame. That”s ridiculous,” said Perkins.
All three hires passed 3-2 with Perkins and Ward 7 Alderman Henry Vaughn voting in opposition. Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver and Ward 4 Alderman Richard Corey were absent from the meeting.
Grice currently works for Severstal where he has served as network administrator for more than four years. He was formerly a computer operator for Cadence Bank.
Nagel is a 2005 Mississippi State University graduate and a former Northrop Grumman GIS analyst. He has served as GIS technician for Columbus since 2009.
Hall has greater than 25 years experience as a code architect for the State of Alabama as well as working as an architect and builder.
Perkins later joined the board in unanimously authorizing the city to enter into a lease/purchase agreement with Diversified Lenders, Inc. for the purchase of Incode software from Tyler Technologies for a cost of $134,940 spread over three years despite City Attorney Chris Latimer”s misgivings regarding language contained in the contract.
Latimer, who received a copy of the contract Tuesday morning, stated he had requested an electronic copy of the contract from the lender in order to highlight questionable terms which need clarification. The city was unable to purchase the software directly from the vendor and, therefore, decided to go through a third party lender.
Because the software is intended to replace antiquated software currently in use by the city clerk, Perkins asked City Clerk Markeeta Outlaw if the purchase is time sensitive, to which Outlaw replied putting off the purchase would force the city to decide on its necessity while heading into a new fiscal year budget planning period.
The board authorized the agreement contingent upon Latimer”s approval of the contract terms.
In other board business, aldermen recognized the Starkville Police Department for its bid to be nationally certified by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
Mayor Parker Wiseman pointed out that the SPD, which is already state accredited, would be one of a small handful of nationally accredited law enforcement agencies if certified by CALEA.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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