| Loudon considers council pay, benefits
As Loudon City Council wrapped up a workshop Monday,
members were pulled into a discussion about compensation.
Councilman Johnny James pointed to the council’s pay
and insurance as being problematic and questioned whether both
should be eliminated.
The subject came up after James told council members
he talked to two individuals who expressed an interest in running
for city council to get health insurance benefits and pay.
“I didn’t run for this office for what it could give
me,” James said. “I run for this office for what I could give it.
I’m for cutting out insurance, period, on elected officials and
appointed officials, because if we don’t want to do the job and we
don’t want to be dedicated enough to do the right thing without
being paid for it then I don’t think we need to be sitting here,
bottom line.
“I provided for myself all my life,” he added.
“That’s everybody’s responsibility to do the very same thing. I
don’t see as the city of Loudon owes me anything or owes anybody
else anything unless they’re a direct employee and spend 40 hours a
week working for them. I can understand that.”
James asked that the city vote on whether to strip
benefits from council members, putting the change into effect no
later than the day of the election.
“I agree with Councilman James. I had a conversation
with my wife, and I agreed with her more,” Jim Greenway, city mayor,
said. “She indicated that there needs to be some incentive for
people to be interested in doing this. We talked about how the
county does it through the school system. They pay for the employee,
but then the employee, if there is family insurance or whatever,
they pick that up. They pay that out of their own pocket. I think a
model like that might be a good place to start.”
Ty Ross, city manager, told council he would need to
look at the city charter and reach out to the University of
Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service before crafting
something to be voted on.
Council members are currently classified as part-time
employees of the city. Council was used as an example in justifying
benefits for John Canada as a part-time human resources manager for
the city, Councilman Lynn Millsaps said.
Councilman Jeff Harris voiced hesitation in stripping
away benefits from council.
“You’re not going to get rich doing this,” Harris
said. “You look at a lot of times how many committees you’re on.
I’m on four or five. There are a lot of committees to go to.”
James talked about wanting to have his salary
donated directly to the school system when he was initially
elected, but that wasn’t possible. Harris noted that while the
city provides a salary to council members, it is up to each
individual from there.
“The thing about the compensation is you can
still do with it what you want to do,” he said. “You can still
write a check to the high school. … You can donate that money.
Anybody could.”
Greenway suggested looking at a “two-tiered”
system for health insurance rather than stripping away benefits
entirely.
“I want us to look at it, put it on the agenda
and take a vote on it,” James said. “I for one am for making a
change. If somebody really wants to serve, they’re welcome. Come
on down. Join us, but don’t come because they’re going to gain
something by it or don’t run because you’ve got an axe to grind
with somebody. That’s no reason to be sitting in this seat,
being in this room. You want to look out for the benefit of the
most people and the people of this town you’re serving with and
serving for.”
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5/21/18