By Patricia Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
Florence city council decided to approve the first reading of an amended ordinance raising the mayor’s salary but to postpone consideration of the council increases for further discussion. The suggested raises — the first in 18 years — were to take effect the January after the next election.
The next election for council will be this November, and the next election for mayor will be in November of 2026. Any changes to salary have to be made before May 1.
Admittedly, the raises were a bit stiff — 68 percent for the mayor and 17.3 percent for council, but as City Administrator Joshua Hunt told everyone, the salaries have not been evaluated for 18 years. That’s a lot of years and a lot of cost of living hikes.
Florence City Administrator Joshua Hunt explained how he came to his recommendation for salary increases for Florence mayor and councilmembers. It’s the first salary adjustment in 18 years. (Photo by Patricia Scheyer)
It is the City Administrator’s job to make sure all of the salaries in the city are in line with similar positions in similar cities. They don’t have to be the highest or the lowest, just comparable and in line with jobs in similar cities of the same size.
Hunt explained how he arrived at his decision, and in corroboration read off the mayor and council salaries for several cities in the state of Kentucky, along with the COLA raise that will take place in July. All of the salaries were in line with the increased salaries he has proposed for the city of Florence. The mayor’s salary would go up to $86,937, and the council salary would raise to $20,605.
Hunt explained that the city has grown exponentially, and the job of mayor has grown to keep up, now requiring the mayor to be on duty 24/7. He said the job of councilmember has also expanded, requiring members to read and understand all legislation and be on hand to attend functions in the city. There is now a lot more legislation than there was 18 years ago, as well as a lot more functions to attend.
Councilmember Jenna Kemper motioned to amend the ordinance to delete the salary increase for councilmembers, but to keep the raise for the mayor’s salary, and five members of council voted to accept the amended ordinance. Councilmember Mel Carroll was not present.
The vote was held for the amended ordinance, and Gary Winn, Jenna Kemper, Patricia Wingo, and David A. Osborne voted yes, while Lesley Chambers voted no.
“Go ahead, vote yourselves a raise,” said Brian Kinross, a resident who stood up to speak when it was the public’s turn.
He said he is running for council, and he intimated that any councilmember that voted to raise their salary would lose in November’s election, so in voting for the raise they would help him get elected. He said if elected and the raise went into effect he would donate his raise. To serve the public with the promise of compensation was an oxymoron, in his opinion.
Councilmembers asked to discuss the council raises further, probably at the next caucus meeting. The ordinance raising the salary of the mayor will have the second reading at the next regular meeting in March.
CAO Hunt said once the salaries are in line, they will be evaluated every two years instead of neglecting the evaluation for 18 years.
