SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - New commissioners in Chatham County won’t be getting a pay raise.
The current board backed down from an attempt to increase pay for commissioners by $5,000 a year, removing it from an agenda at a Friday meeting
The Savannah Morning News reports the increase was proposed by Commissioner Pat Farrell earlier this month. Farrell on Friday removed the proposal from the agenda after Commission Chairman Al Scott noted that state law calls for a pay increase to get three readings by the commission. Friday’s meeting, the last for the outgoing commission, would have been only the second reading.
Under state law commissioners cannot increase their own pay. Instead, a current board can approve a pay raise for its successor. Since the pay raise wasn’t approved Friday, commissioners won’t be eligible for a base pay increase for another four years.
The base salary for commissioners is $27,328.79. Commissioners may earn an additional $1,200 per year for completing of Association of County Commissioners of Georgia certification, said Chatham County spokeswoman Abbigail Murphy. Commissioners also receive a 2.5% increase after completion of each 4-year term, up to a maximum of 10%.
The chairman’s base salary is $64,427.61.
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