North Little Rock is prepared to give 2% salary increases to full-time city employees and elected officials, including City Council members, as a reward for their work during the covid-19 pandemic.
The City Council is expected to vote today on a resolution that would amend the 2020 budget to give a pay increase to city employees. The resolution excludes uniformed employees who are under contract.
The council also is expected to vote on a second resolution that would increase the salaries of elected officials, including City Council members.
Mayor Joe Smith said the pay increases can be considered as a "pat on the back" for city employees who have worked through unprecedented times this year in dealing with the effects of the covid-19 crisis.
"Of all the years that I've been here, I've never felt more proud of the hard work that our employees have done during this pandemic," Smith said. "And if they've ever earned and deserve a raise, now is the time."
Smith said the city is in good financial shape and can afford to give approximately 450 city employees a raise.
"We put some thought on this, and we analyzed our financial situation," he said. "Our finances are in good shape, and I felt this would be a good opportunity not only to give them a cost-of-living increase, but also a pat on the back. Job well done."
The increase in salaries is contingent upon the appropriation of sufficient funding by the City Council.
City Council Member Charlie Hight said the first question he will ask at the board meeting is if the city can afford the increases.
"I would be supportive of it provided the city has it in their funds," he said.
City Council Member and mayoral candidate Debi Ross said she is confident the city is in good financial shape and that she will be glad to support the pay increases.
"I am confident the mayor wouldn't bring it in front of us if he didn't think we could afford it," she said. "They have been coming in working through this pandemic nonstop."
The pay raise for elected officials would include the mayor, the city attorney, the city clerk/treasurer, and City Council members.
Elected officials getting a pay raise in the midst of the pandemic is something that might be viewed negatively by some, Ross said, but she noted the phrasing is necessary.
"If you vote against the elected officials, then you are not only affecting City Council members, but the city attorney and the city clerk who have pulled a huge load during this time," she said. "If they want to exclude the City Council, I am fine with that, but I don't want to deny the city clerk and the city attorney."
The City Council has approved multiple resolutions to help residents and businesses during the pandemic.
The council in June unanimously approved an ordinance to establish an entertainment district downtown as quickly as possible in an effort to boost the economy during the covid-19 pandemic.
A month earlier, the council unanimously approved a resolution amending the 2016-2020 consolidation plan, the 2019 annual action plan and the citizen participation plan to expedite grantees' use of the special allocation of funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
The small-business council will use the money to launch the Covid-19 Small Business Economic Support Fund in an effort to stabilize local businesses and retain jobs.