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Council debates sweeping pay increase for mayor, council and appointed secretaries beginning 2026
Summary
Councilmembers discussed a staff‑backed proposal to raise elected officials' monthly pay starting Jan. 1, 2026, moving council pay from $20 per month to $350 in 2026 and to $400 in 2027 with annual 2% increases through 2031; staff said the change would bring Columbiana into a more typical pay range for comparable municipalities.
Columbiana City Council members on Feb. 18 discussed a proposal to raise municipal elected‑official compensation beginning Jan. 1, 2026, after staff researched pay rates in comparable cities.
Councilmember Liston introduced the proposal and outlined the recommended schedule: councilmembers would receive $350 per month starting Jan. 1, 2026, rising to $400 per month on Jan. 1, 2027, with 2% annual increases from 2028 through Dec. 31, 2031. “The council members would go to $350 a month,” Liston said during the discussion. The mayor’s proposed schedule would begin at $400 per month in 2026 and rise to $450 in 2027, followed by 2% annual increases.
Staff analysis and rationale: Councilmembers said staffer Bryce compiled data comparing municipalities by population; the analysis showed Columbiana’s current $20 monthly rate lagged far behind similar communities. Staff told council the proposed increases would place Columbiana in the lower third of peer communities rather than at the very bottom, and the change was intended to bring pay to a “respectable” level.
Scope and timing: The proposal also includes pay adjustments for several appointed meeting secretaries and clerks with specified per‑meeting rates; those adjustments would follow a similar schedule and include 2% annual increases through 2031. Council members said the increases will be introduced as legislation in the coming month for formal consideration.
What remains undecided: The council discussion did not finalize legislation; council members noted the change requires council votes and that some pay adjustments for specific members will be phased in later due to charter timeframes. A motion to draft legislation was indicated and staff will prepare formal ordinance language for future readings.
