By Ray King
The Pine Bluff City Council on Monday night worked their way through a 13-item agenda that saw them approve a pay increase for the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, reject pay raises for three people in the City Clerk’s Office and create several new positions within the city.
Council member LaTisha Brunson talked about what the council did.
Regarding the salary increase for the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, the resolution said their annual salary was not implemented because the job description was not adopted until the salary was set.
After the fact, it was determined that the entry level salary for the chief of staff would have been $52,201 and the city has given two cost of living pay raises of two percent each, bringing the salary to $58774, retroactive to Jan. 1.
That resolution passed 7-0 with Council Member Lanette Frazier absent.
Salary increases ranging from $34,208.41 to $49,602.19 for three people in the city clerk’s office failed by a vote of 6-1 with only Council Member Steven Mays voting yes.
Also at the meeting, an ordinance setting an hourly rate of $21.22 for part-time police officers was read three times and approved while an ordinance modifying applicant disqualifications for the police department was read twice and placed on the calendar for a final reading at the first meeting in June.
The ordinance provides that the department would have the option to consider individuals who resigned or were terminated for minor infractions.
Several council members raised questions of what would constitute a “minor infraction”.
Current department policy disqualifies individuals who were terminated for disciplinary reasons, resigned to avoid a suspension or termination or resigned during a disciplinary investigation without a final judgement being rendered.
The council also created the position of Information Technology Technician, Office Manager for the Fire and Emergency Services Department and two laborer positions in the Street Department.
