AMORY – The board of aldermen voted Jan. 15 to reduce the salary of the incoming mayor from $76,000 to 65,000 per year during it’s regular-called meeting.
“As of July 1, we will have a new mayor and I think we can all agree that money is tight,” said Ward 1 alderman Buddy Carlisle.
The $11,000 difference will be absorbed back into the general fund.
In other business, a final budget of $30,000 was established for the KaBoom! playground at Gilmore Park.
“To spend the full amount of the grant, which is $15,000, the city will have to match that. It’s a 50/50 split,” said city clerk Lee Barnett.
The playground, which will be a community build project, must be completed by September and will include an omni-spin and playing structure.
The board also discussed the possibility of future additions to the playground.
In other business, the board approved:
-A request for the purchase of ads supporting both Emma Kate Avery and Randi Kathryn Harmon in the upcoming Miss Mississippi pageant.
-A request to revise the fees of Ordinance No. 1660 – Public Access to Public Records.
-A request to accept Atwell & Gents recommendation of the lowest and best bid from Taylor Power Systems for emergency diesel generator sets and automatic transfer switches.
-A request to reimburse the police department for a travel expense of $105.25. Police Chief Bowen was reprimanded by the board for not getting pre-approval for travel. Under state law, the city is not required to reimburse travel expenditures, even if for official purposes, unless approved prior to the trip.
In an executive session, Monroe County Chamber of Commerce director Tony Green met with the board to discuss an industrial prospect. No action was taken.
Aldermen vote to reduce incoming mayor’s salary
Did the board act too early on lowering the salary of the mayor?
If one of the candidates who has municipal government experience is elected, the amount might be correct. If the candidate who has no government experience is elected, the amount might be too high.
The board should have withheld the decision to change the salaryof the mayor until they had confirmed that the citizens of Amory had elected one of the candidates with prior municipal government experience.