DEMOPOLIS &045; Aliquippa Allen, who was offered the City Clerk position at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, attended a personnel meeting for the city to negotiate the salary aspect of the offered position.

Allen, who was offered an annual salary of around $36,000 plus a benefits package, presented those at the meeting, Councilmen Thomas Moore and Melvin Yelverton and Mayor Cecil Williamson, with a proposal of the salary she would want for the position.

Allen presented the city with her counter to the original salary, asking for around $45,000 with no benefits. Allen, who is retired military, said the benefits provided by the city would not meet the benefits she already receives due to her prior military career.

Allen said the pay she is seeking is even to what is paid at comparable jobs with the experience she brings to the table. She said she couldn’t rationalize accepting the original salary offered by the city.

Yelverton initially recommended the city up the offer to Allen to $41,000 a year. Williamson said the savings the city would compile by not having to pay to provide Allen a benefits package would allow them to offer her a salary of around $42,800.

Moore said adding the savings the city would incur by not providing a benefits package to the original salary would be a fair offer. He said he could also ask the council to review Allen’s performance after a preliminary term and consider raising her salary at that point, though he noted the raise would be dependent on the views of the entire council, not only his own.

When asked what the lowest salary she would consider, Allen said she didn’t think she could consider going below $44,000.

The personnel meeting with Allen ended with the group deciding to refer the matter to the city finance committee.