"(City employees) looked around a little bit and noticed their salaries were less," Richardson said. "During our wage study, we thought it was time to raise (the City Council members' salaries) up to other areas in other cities. It's up to (the council) how they want to do that. If they don't want it, then they can vote that down. If they do want it, they can vote it in."

At Tuesday's meeting, Councilman Vincent Liddiard suggested that the council pass an ordinance that would set a part-time mayor's salary at $3,000 a month and raise the council's salary from $325 to $600 — but his motion failed.

Councilwoman Linn Strouse said the council didn't need the pay raise, and Jackson agreed.

"At this point in time, I don't see the necessity in increasing our salary," Jackson said. "Currently, the amount of money I get per month covers my phone bill and that's about it, but I'm not sitting on the City Council to make money. I'm sitting on the City Council to do a service for the city."

The council is expected to make a decision on the issue in an upcoming meeting, but no exact date for the discussion has yet been scheduled.

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