Columbus city employees will be seeing extra cash this summer

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It may not be an actual raise, but Columbus city employees will be seeing some extra cash this Summer.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Columbus City Council approved spending about $720,000 of ARPA money to provide incentive pay for city employees.

The idea has been brought up a number of times since an accounting error during budget talks last year shot down hopes for an across the board pay raise this year.

Members had approved a plan earlier in the year but weren’t sure if rules covering ARPA spending would allow it.

At a press conference today, Mayor Keith Gaskin said city leaders have been through the law and gotten several opinions to make sure that they handled things correctly and legally.

Hourly employees making less than $46,000 a year will get separate checks, and department heads will get temporary raises for 5 pay periods.

“All of the employees are getting $3,000 each. That’s before taxes and retirement, and all the other withholding, but we wanted to make sure we covered, and the City Council was very specific; they wanted to make sure we rewarded all employees for the effort they made during the pandemic,” said Jim Brigham, Columbus COO.

City Employees will also be getting a new holiday this Summer. The Council approved making Juneteenth a paid day off. It will replace the Columbus Day Holiday.