JOHN COFFELTEditor

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved at the June 6 meeting a contract with Burris, Thompson and Associates for a salary study for $27,640 for professional services, plus allocated an additional $11,700 for optional services.

City Attorney Craig Johnson told the board that the optional service could include evaluation services and instruction.

A request for proposal for the study was proposed by Alderman Ryan French in November. French said

at the time that the city needs to address not only current pay but how the city gives raises in the future.

“Right now we are dead in the water,” he said. “We need to have (a plan) whether that be step raises. There needs to be some thought behind it. It needs to start with a benefits review.”

French noted at the time the city needs to address wage gaps between new hires who make proportionally higher wages than long term employees hired a low rates and haven seen raises to meet the inflation of new-hire wages.

During the June 6 meeting, French reminded the board that the city should address benefits too in the analysis.

Alderman Julie Anderson questioned if the study would still be usable if the city delayed additional salary increases after the 10% increase the board approved for city employees in the current 2022-23 budget.

“Two years from now is this still going to be good?” she asked.

Alderman Joey Hobbs replied that the data included in the results would not be about the city’s pay as much as would include surrounding areas’ jobs and job descriptions as well as what they pay their employees.

“Once we get it back we will be able to make decisions as to what those needs should be,” Hobbs said.

The resolution passed 5-0 with Vice Mayor Mark Messick voting no. During previous meetings

Messick has questioned paying for a report that contains publicly accessible information.

“Seems to me that we are smart enough to figure out how to pay our own people,” Messick said following the meeting.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.