PAY RAISE FOR THOMASTON MAYOR AND COUNCIL

THE THOMASTON MAYOR AND COUNCIL WILL GET A PAY RAISE EFFECTIVE JAN IST 2020, FOLLOWING A UNANIMOUS VOTE BY COUNCIL—TUESDAY. THE FIRST PAY ADJUSTMENT IN 16 YEARS.

COUNCIL MEMBERS CURRENTLY EARN $2400 PER YEAR, THE MAYOR PRO TEM $2700 PER YEAR AND THE MAYOR $3600 PER YEAR—BUT EVEN WITH PAY RAISES THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL WILL STILL MAKE LESS THAN THE UPSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.

UNDER THE PLAN APPROVED TUESDAY—COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL EARN $7200 PER YEAR, MAYOR PRO TEM $8100 ANNUALLY AND THE MAYOR $10,800. BASED ON A SURVEY OF LIKE-SIZED CITIES IN GEORGIA—THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL WERE ON THE LOW END OF THE PAY SCALE. CITY OFFICIALS GET RETIREMENT BUT NO HEALTH INSURANCE.

THE UPSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PAY SCHEDULE WAS APPROVED SEVERAL ADMINISTRATIONS AGO BEFORE ANY OF THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS WERE ELECTED.

COMMISSIONERS MAKE $9000 ANNUALLY PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $1200 ONCE CERTIFIED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION. PLUS HEALTH INSURANCE AND RETIREMENT IS OFFERED AND $250 PER MONTH FOR EXPENSES.

THE COMMISSION CHAIRMAN EARNS $12,000 PER YEAR, PLUS $1200 ONCE CERTIFIED AND $400 MONTHLY FOR EXPENSES, HEALTH INSURANCE AND RETIREMENT IS AVAILABLE.

ACCORDING TO CITY ATTORNEY JOEL BENTLEY--IT WILL TAKE TWO VOTES TO FINALIZED MAYOR AND COUNCIL PAY RAISES, BECAUSE THE CITY CHARTER MUST BE AMENDED.