Decatur City Council approves cost of living raise for city employees

DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) - Decatur City Council members approved a cost of living raise for city employees during a meeting on Monday evening. The increased pay would take effect following an October vote on the city’s next budget.

The council approved a personnel board plan to add a 3% adjustment to job classifications and payment plans to keep with the times.

Councilman Billy Jackson was the only member to vote against this plan, saying the city should pay employees more than 3%.

“I would rather see us, again, our employees pick up five or six percent. I don’t know that it’s feasible at this point because I’ve been here when we had to lay people off.”

Other local organizations rallied for funds at the Monday meeting as well.

Sue Terrell with Hands Across Decatur was there to plea for more funding in the 2024 fiscal year. The local organization advocates for the booming homeless population in the River City. Terrell said the organization has already served over 6,000 homeless in 2023, and they need more funding to keep up.

“We all live in survival mode every single day,” she said. “By the grace of God, most of us have a home, family, source of income, food, health insurance, and access to medication. But what if you didn’t?”

The room was tense between one resident and Mayor Tab Bowling as she advocated for additional funding for Hands Across Decatur by quoting the bible.

“The right thing to do is to keep supreme structure by loving your neighbor as you’d love yourself.” she said. “As soon as you start making class distinctions, you are committing sin and under condemnation of breaking the law.”

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