Oxford to review pay for officials

Published 12:00 pm Wednesday, June 22, 2016

A committee is being formed to review the salaries of Oxford’s future mayor and Board of Aldermen.

During the regular aldermen meeting Tuesday, the board approved the six-member committee that includes chairman Richard Devoe, a CPA and former alderman; Jen Keiser McMillan, CPA and controller for Aramark; Corderick Govan, manager of Enterprise Rentals; Eli Gross, manager of Trustmark; Rhonnie Riggs, retired CPA; and Jarred Myers, attorney.

The board will review and compare the salaries to other surrounding areas and determine if the amounts are on par, and whether there should be a raise or reduction to the salaries.

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The committee will make a recommendation to the board that will vote on whether to approve the possible changes.

Current board not affected

Alderman Jason Bailey said any changes made to the salaries would not affect the salaries of the current board of aldermen or mayor.

“We’re not voting on our salaries,” Bailey said at the meeting. “This will be for the future board and mayor.”

The municipal election will be June 2017.

Oxford’s Mayor Pat Patterson earns $72,800 a year and aldermen earn $14,000 a year. According to a 2015 Municipal Salary and Benefits Survey from the Stennis Institute of Mississippi State University, the average mayoral salary in Mississippi is $30,167 and aldermen or city council members is $9,308.

In Madison, the mayor receives a $60,000 a year and aldermen earn $12,000. In Starkville, the mayor is paid $71,500 a year while aldermen are paid $15,000.