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Decatur board splits on pay raises, approves a salary-schedule update that will require funding
Summary
After debate and a tied vote on a $2,000 retroactive raise, the board approved updating the salary schedule by $1,000 to reflect newly set maxima; funding for any pay increases will require a subsequent budget amendment.
The Decatur Mayor and Board of Aldermen debated employee pay and budget implications at their July 14 meeting. Councilors and staff said the salary-range maxima had been increased but that the budget did not include funds to pay raises; the board considered motions to authorize retroactive raises and to update the salary schedule itself.
A motion to grant $2,000 retroactive increases produced a tie in the roll-call vote (Alderman Myers and Alderman Ward voted yes; Alderman Ottinger and Alderman Payton voted no), so that motion did not pass. Board members then moved to update the salary schedule to add $1,000 to the range maxima so the schedule reflected the newly discussed rates; that motion passed on a 3–1 vote (Myers, Ottinger and Ward yes; Payton no).
Council members and staff emphasized that changing the salary schedule alone does not authorize payment of additional wages until the board specifically funds the line items. The clerk and finance staff told the board they would bring necessary budget amendments back for formal appropriation should the board choose to fund raises.
Next steps: human-resources and finance staff were tasked with preparing a budget-amendment proposal to present to the board for a future vote.
