Jackson council to reconsider raises for city workers

The Clarion-Ledger, 11/14/8

The Jackson City Council will vote again Tuesday whether to raise salaries for low-paid public works employees.

Councilman Frank Bluntson said he has put the item back on council’s agenda. It was voted down in a 3-3 vote earlier this week.

The raise, proposed by Mayor Frank Melton, would be paid for with almost $1.3 million in city savings and the entire Department of Public Works’ overtime budget, which is about $218,000.

Melton said he would also investigate whether money saved from signing a new wastewater contract could help pay for the raises. The new contract was about $700,000 a year cheaper than the old one.