Pay raises for Natchez mayor, aldermen in city budget draft

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Pay raises for the mayor and aldermen are included in the budget draft they’re working to finalize next week for funding city government in the coming year.

Mayor Dan Gibson – who began his first term in 2020 with a $68,000 annual salary – said no decision by aldermen has been made yet to increase his pay. He noted it could be close to what other mayors make in similar-sized towns in the region.

For Natchez’ six aldermen, Gibson said the proposed budget calls for increasing their annual salaries by eight percent. They’re currently paid $22,300 a year.

“Looking back many, many, many years, we can’t even find when this Board of Aldermen has been allowed a raise,” Gibson said Thursday.

The mayor and aldermen – all reelected in June with little or no opposition – began their current term July 1. They held a public hearing Thursday to discuss the planned budget that totals $43 million for funding city government in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

More money for the pay raises would be allocated while “still working within our budget balanced” without a general property tax increase, Gibson said.

While no final decision has been made yet, Gibson did say aldermen are looking at raising his salary to 5 percent above what City Clerk Megan McKenzie is paid. He noted pay raises for specific appointed city administrators are being considered by aldermen in discussions closed to the public.

In addition, $150,000 has been budgeted to raise wages for employees in the Natchez Public Works Department, which has been struggling to attract and retain workers because of low pay.

The proposed budget includes $1 million for repaving more Natchez streets. This adds to the $6 million allocated last year for putting new surfaces on more than 50 city streets.

Also being budgeted is money for the Canal Street bridge that needs to be stabilized as plans are underway for its eventual replacement. The $630,800 bridge project is coming from the city’s rainy day fund set aside for such unforeseen expenses, Gibson said last month.

Even with repairs, he said, the bridge could still be considered too frail for heavy vehicles. Long-term planning will be underway for funding and building a replacement bridge the mayor said could cost about $8 million and take three or more years to do.

Another major transportation project forthcoming is to enhance an area stretching from Devereaux Drive through downtown to the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. While construction isn’t expected to start until 2027, much planning will take place in the coming year for spending a $24.5 million federal grant awarded to Natchez in June by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

 Natchez aldermen in August selected the Neel-Schaeffer engineering firm for the preliminary work, such as doing environmental reviews, drafting designs and performing other tasks for the project aimed at improving pathways, landscapes, lighting, signage and other transit-related fixtures in Natchez.

Another project in the budget will renovate the city-owned historic Angelety House. With a $142,000 grant received from the state, repairs are being planned for the St. Catherine Street structure’s exterior, including its roof, gutters, windows and doors.

City officials acknowledged Thursday they didn’t adequately give the public sufficient notice about the budget hearing as required by law. A public notice must be published seven days before the hearing. It was actually posted Friday – six days prior to Thursday’s hearing.

While they’re “not in perfect compliance” with the law, said city attorney Jack Lazarus, the mayor and aldermen “complied with the spirit of the law” in notifying the public the budget hearing was taking place. Lazarus said he conferred with officials at the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor and the Mississippi Ethics Commission, which enforces the state’s open meetings law.  

 

The Natchez Board of Aldermen is planning to adopt the budget next week prior to the Sept. 15 deadline required by state law before the fiscal year begins Oct. 1.