Columbus is approving a cost of living salary increase of 1 percent for its employees and elected officials.
The Columbus City Council approved two salary ordinances to this effect Tuesday. City finance director Jamie Brinegar said that the ordinance for city employees’ wages and salaries moves each listed position’s midpoint amount by half a percent and also adjusts the maximum and minimum amounts.
The ordinance for elected officials’ salaries in 2021 states that the mayor’s salary will be set at $99,237. The clerk-treasurer’s salary will be set at $82,293. Each city council member will have a salary of $8,301.
In 2020, the mayor’s salary was $98,254. The clerk-treasurer’s salary was $81,478. Each of the seven council members had a salary of $8,219.
Both ordinances were approved on second reading Tuesday. For ordinances regarding elected officials’ salaries, the council first approved an amendment to the ordinance before voting.
“The original proposal to you had a half a percent COLA (cost of living adjustment) for elected officials,” Brinegar explained. “About three days after our first meeting on this, the state finally provided us with local income tax dollars, which we calculated and are able to afford a 1 percent COLA.”
City council also approved the first reading of the city’s 2021 budget Tuesday. The second reading will be on Oct. 20.
During his 2021 budget presentation, Brinegar said the city is enacting the “final step of the salary study implementation plan.”
“The 2021 budget provides funding for all full-time positions at a market average or a midpoint of the salary range,” he said.
The budget also includes a 1 percent increase in base pay for public safety officers.
Brinegar said $30.7 million, or 73.7% of the proposed general fund budget is for “human costs” (salaries and benefits). Out of the total proposed budget, $36.2 million, or 45.0% is for “human costs.”
Brinegar also commended city employees for their hard work amid COVID-19.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic in March, essential services have continued to be provided,” he said. “In fact, employees went out of their way to make sure residents received the help they needed. Employees staggered schedules, came in on weekends and worked long hours and provided information, assistance and innovative and alternative ways to deliver services. … City employees never stopped answering phones or providing help.”
