Jackson City committee recommends 2.5% annual raise and $50,000 vehicle allowance for mayor

The Mayor's Salary Committee of Jackson City voted on Feb. 9 to recommend that city council approve a 2.5% annual cost-of-living increase for the mayor and a $50,000 vehicle allowance for the next four-year term, to take effect July 1, 2027. The motion was moved by Speaker 5 and seconded by Speaker 1; a voice vote was taken and the chair declared the motion carried.

The committee based its recommendation on a peer-city survey presented by Speaker 3 that listed comparable municipalities — Bowling Green, Owensboro, Decatur, Texarkana and Smyrna — with full-time mayor salaries "around $85,000 to $125,000," and on a discussion that Jackson City is functioning as a regional hub and requires a full-time chief executive. "A full time mayor was around $85,000 to $125,000," Speaker 3 said during the presentation.

Committee members asked staff for complete compensation figures to compare total packages, not just base pay. Speaker 4 (Kelsey), who provided the staff packet, said the mayor currently receives city-provided equipment and benefits and reported the annual employer cost for medical, dental, vision and disability coverage for the mayor's package as "$19,208." "The total cost is $19,208," Speaker 4 said. Committee members requested follow-up verification on retirement participation after staff notes produced inconsistent information on whether the mayor participates in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS).

During the meeting, members discussed two choices: move the mayor's base toward the peer-city high end, or apply modest, regular increases. Several committee members voiced support for a middle-ground approach. "Somewhere in that, you know, 2 to 3 range," Speaker 5 said when framing the options; members subsequently coalesced around 2.5% as a reasonable annual adjustment.

The motion that passed recommended continuation of the existing benefits package in addition to the 2.5% annual increase and the $50,000 vehicle allowance. Speaker 5 read the motion onto the record: "We recommend to council a 2 and a half percent cost of living adjustment to a total salary of $1,476.15 for the next term, along with a $50,000 vehicle allowance in that next term, as well as all current benefits." Speaker 1 seconded the motion and the committee moved to forward the recommendation to be placed on the March city council agenda.

Committee members also sought clarification from the recorder and risk-management staff about retirement contributions. At one point Speaker 4 cited information from the recorder indicating the mayor had a Roth 457(b) with no city contribution; other members reported the mayor had said he participates in TCRS. Speaker 7 summarized the employer share for typical non–first-responder employees as "about 16%," and asked staff to confirm how pension contributions would interact with any salary change.

Next steps: the committee directed staff to prepare written notes and confirmation of benefits and retirement participation for the March city council packet. The committee agreed the salary matter would next be considered by the full council once staff-provided clarifications were added to the agenda materials.