Columbus City Council members will receive 2 percent raises in 2018, reversing a proposal two weeks ago to not give themselves a salary increase.
City leaders voted 6-1 on Tuesday to an amended ordinance to give elected officials raises with Councilwoman Laurie Booher being opposed. The council had initially agreed Sept. 5 to provide a 2 percent increase to Mayor Jim Lienhoop and Clerk-Treasurer Luann Welmer, but not themselves after City Councilman Tim Shuffett said he wanted to see the results of a city compensation study before voting on raises.
That led to a 5-2 vote with Councilmen Frank Jerome and Frank Miller voting against the proposal, but Councilman Tom Dell proposed an amended ordinance to allow council members to receive a salary increase along with Lienhoop and Welmer. Dell argued that since city employees will receive 2 percent raises next year, the council should as well.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
