Franklin council votes down pay hike

The Franklin City Council narrowly nixed a pay raise for councilmen last week, reasoning first responders and city workers should receive a pay before the council does.

In a 3-2 vote, the council refused a pay hike, which would have gone into effect in 2015 – the start of the next city council term.

Had the measure been approved, it would have bumped the pay of four councilmen by $200 and Franklin’s mayor pro temp – the only councilman who represents all districts within the city limits – by $300. The mayor pro temp earns $650 monthly.

Voting against the measure were councilmen Joe Garrison, Eugene Foulcard and Lester Levine; in favor of the raise were councilmen Chuck Autin and Dale Rogers.

Garrison argued raises were due first responders and city workers, not council members.

“When I considered campaigning for office, I never considered that if I won, how much of a salary I would have,” he said. “And I still feel that way.

“The salary doesn’t make that much more of a difference. And if I am fortunate enough to return to the city council a year or so from now, my pay will continue to remain a non-issue on my priority list,” he added.

Foulcard said city employees are in need of raises, contending the council needs to find the required resources.

“We haven’t been able to give our city workers a raise in a number of years – five or six years, I believe,” he said. “I feel that, before we start looking at raises for council members, we need to find (money) that will allow us to raise the pay of our city employees.”

Foulcard said councilmen raises should be justified by a particular variable such as a population increase or consumer price index hike – “but neither of those are happening right now.”

The measure, had it been approved, would have cost Franklin $13,000 annually.

Raises for councilmen have been discussed before. Several councilmen expressed concern that first responders and others were being overlooked.

Autin said, however, that the salary hike would serve as enticement for more concerned citizens to seek office.

“I don’t know if I will seek office again,” he said. “I just thought raising the pay of a city councilman by $200 monthly would get more folks interested in city government.”

Rogers said after the vote that a number of councilmen were worried about the timing of the move.

“Everyone agrees this job deserves a little more pay,” he said. “I’m not. I run on my record and not a raise.

“I will tell you this, you get what you pay for,” Rogers added. “It’s been quite a number of years since this council has seen a pay raise.”