City Council members were expected to review the city's 2014 budget, appoint a city attorney and a prosecuting attorney and set the salary for the mayor at a City Council meeting Monday night. Pea Ridge City Council is scheduled for the third Tuesday of each month. At the November meeting, council members agreed to meet Monday, Dec. 29, instead of twice, in order to approve the current year's budget as close to the end of the year as possible.
In the December 2013 City Council meeting, City Clerk Sandy Button requested a raise for Mayor Jackie Crabtree stating that the current salary was $45,000 and had been that "for quite a few years."
According to the municipal code 2.24.05: “The City Council shall, on or before its first regularly scheduled meting in June in the year in which the term of the office of Mayor expires, re-fix the compensation for the office of Mayor for the succeeding term of the office. (Ord. No. 513, Sec. 1)
In July, council members approved setting the base salary for mayor at $25,000 for the term to begin in January 2015 based on City Ordinance 513 that states that the salary may be "fixed" for the office prior to an election. It was set before anyone filed to run for election. No one filed to oppose Crabtree, who filed for re-election.
At the July meeting, council member Bob Cottingham said: "It wasn't fair to the position to have someone with no experience come in and start with the same salary as someone with years of experience."
Council woman Nadine Telgemeier, who voted against the proposal in July, said at that time: "I wouldn't go apply for a job where I know I have a lot of experience but the salary is below ... so you're going to turn away people who have a lot of experience. I think $25,000 is too low."
The mayor's salary was to be considered Monday night. The TIMES had already gone to press. The result of the City Council meeting is scheduled to be published in the Jan. 7 edition of The TIMES.
General News on 12/31/2014