The Demopolis City Council approved a pay adjustment Thursday night for employees of the city’s Public Works, Horticulture and Sports-plex departments.

The city council unanimously approved a $56,264 increase. 

The adjustment will only apply to hourly employees. It will not include department heads or administrative positions.

Under the new pay scale, employees will be hired at a rate of $8.50. Current employees will receive a boost in pay based on the number of years they have worked for the city.

Employees who have worked for one of the three city departments since 1997 or prior will receive a $2 increase — the largest increase included in the adjustment. Employees who have worked for the department since 2013 will receive a $1 increase.

“This adjustment rewards seniority,” Mayor Mike Grayson said.

The adjustment will go into effect during the next payroll cycle, according to Grayson.

Council member Bill Meador said that the change helps bring the pay scale in line with other departments.

“One of the reasons we did not include other departments like police and fire is that we had addressed them in prior years and this was a way to look at the overall structure of where (these departments) were in the scheme of things,” Meador said. “We have not had raises up until last year or maybe the year before, but we have had bonuses, and this was just a way to sort or equalize where we are.”

Meador also stressed that this was an adjustment and not a raise.

“Those employees will still be eligible for a raise on the anniversary of their hire depending on their review,” he said.

Pay Adjustment Scale

Tier 1 (2013-2015) — $1

Tier 2 (2010-2012) — $1.10

Tier 3 (2007-2009) — $1.25

Tier 4 (2004-2006) — $1.40

Tier 5 (2001-2003) — $1.60

Tier 6 (1998-2000) — $1.80

Tier 7 (1995-1997) — $2

 

In other business:

• The council approved the ABC application for Southend LLC for an off-premises retail beer and retail table wine license
• The council voted to pursue a contract with Shelton State Community College for use of the Demopolis Higher Education Center.

“Shelton State is already here, but that’s more on the technical side,” Grayson said. “This would be more from the academic standpoint.”

• The council agreed, along with Demopolis Area Chamber of Commerce, the Marengo County Industrial Development Board and the Demopolis Area Business Council, to enter into a contract with The Retail Coach. The Retail Coach is a national retail consulting, market research and development firm that aims assist to local governments, chambers of commerce and economic development organizations in recruiting retail businesses to the area. The contract will be worth $25,000. The city will pay $10,000 with each of the other organizations contributing $5,000.

“This will help us identify weaknesses and gaps, as well as our strengths,” council member Harris Nelson said.

The council announced that Delta Regional Authority, along with the U.S. military, will offer a medical mission providing free health services in Demopolis in August of next year.