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Home My WebLink AboutOrdinance 7043 Page 1 113 West Mountain Street Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 575-8323 Ordinance: 7043 File Number: 2026-3480 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 31: CITY OFFICIALS, TO AMEND § 31.01 AND § 31.15 TO CHANGE ALDERMANIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT TO MAYOR-COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT, TO REPEAL § 31.16 AND § 31.17, AND TO ENACT REPLACEMENTS FOR THESE SECTIONS, AND TO AMEND § 31.30 (E)(3) AND § 31.45 (G)(3) WHEREAS, Chapter 31: City Officials should delete references to Alderman and Aldermanic form of government and enact the proper terms: City Council Members and Mayor-Council form of government; and WHEREAS, § 31.16 should be amended to provide that the current salary level of City Council members should be increased by the same level of adjustment provided to non-uniformed City employees for cost-of-living increases; and WHEREAS, § 31.17 should be amended so that the Mayor’s annual salary should be no less than the beginning of the second quartile of the salary range assigned to the Mayor’s position by the City Council’s approved compensation plan; and WHEREAS, the City Clerk/Treasurer and City Attorney should be treated the same as the Mayor regarding merit and cost-of-living increases authorized by the City Council for non-uniformed City employees. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS: Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby amends § 31.01 to state: “The form of government provided for this city is hereby known as the mayor-council form of government,” and amends § 31.15 (A) to state: “There shall be eight (8) City Council Members on the City Council who shall be elected as set forth in § 32.01.” Section 2: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby repeals § 31.16 City Council Member Compensation and Benefits and § 31.17 Mayor’s Compensation and enacts the replacement § 31.16 and § 31.17 as shown on Exhibit A attached hereto and made a part of this ordinance. Section 3: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby amends § 31.30 Office of City Clerk- Treasurer (E) Salary (3) by repealing that subsection and enacting its replacement subsection 31.30 (E)(3) as shown on Exhibit B attached hereto and made a part of this ordinance. Section 4: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby amends § 31.45 City Attorney; Legal Department (G)(3) by repealing that subsection and enacting its replacing subsection 31.30 (G)(3) as shown on Exhibit C attached hereto and made a part of this ordinance. Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Ordinance: 7043 File Number: 2026-3480 Page 2 PASSED and APPROVED on October 20, 2026 Approved: _______________________________ Molly Rawn, Mayor Attest: _______________________________ Kara Paxton, City Clerk Treasurer This publication was paid for by the City Clerk-Treasurer of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Amount Paid: $199.12 Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Mailing address: 113 W. Mountain Street Fayetteville, AR 72701 www.fayetteville-ar.gov CITY COUNCIL MEMO 2026-3480 MEETING OF OCTOBER 20, 2026 TO: Mayor Rawn and City Council THROUGH: Kit Williams, City Attorney FROM: Kit Williams, City Attorney SUBJECT: AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 31: CITY OFFICIALS RECOMMENDATION: Amend Chapter 31: City Officials BACKGROUND: On September 2, 2025, City Council passed Resolution 200-25 authorizing McGrath Human Resources Group, Inc. to provide compensation and classification consulting services. The scope of the project included an external market comparison using data from peer municipalities, compression analysis, internal equity review, and benefits benchmarking. The purpose of the study was to develop updated compensation structures and recommend practices for implementation and ongoing administration. DISCUSSION: Chapter 31: City Officials should delete references to Alderman and Aldermanic form of government and enact the proper terms: City Council Members and Mayor-Council form of government. § 31.16 should be amended to provide that the current salary level of City Council members should be increased by the same level of adjustment provided to non-uniformed City employees for cost-of-living increases. § 31.17 should be amended so that the Mayor’s annual salary should be no less than the beginning of the second quartile of the salary range assigned to the Mayor’s position by the City Council’s approved compensation plan. The City Clerk/Treasurer and City Attorney should be treated the same as the Mayor regarding merit and cost-of-living increases authorized by the City Council for non-uniformed City employees. BUDGET/STAFF IMPACT: There will be no immediate impact, but there will be in the future. ATTACHMENTS: 3. Exhibit A, 4. Exhibit B, 5. Exhibit C, 6. Human Resources Department Memo, 7. City Attorney Memo, 8. Agenda Request Form - City Attorney Kit Williams Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Page 1 City of Fayetteville, Arkansas Legislation Text 113 West Mountain Street Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 575-8323 File #: 2026-3480 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 31: CITY OFFICIALS, TO AMEND § 31.01 AND § 31.15 TO CHANGE ALDERMANIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT TO MAYOR-COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT, TO REPEAL § 31.16 AND § 31.17, AND TO ENACT REPLACEMENTS FOR THESE SECTIONS, AND TO AMEND § 31.30 (E)(3) AND § 31.45 (G)(3) WHEREAS, Chapter 31: City Officials should delete references to Alderman and Aldermanic form of government and enact the proper terms: City Council Members and Mayor-Council form of government; and WHEREAS, § 31.16 should be amended to provide that the current salary level of City Council members should be increased by the same level of adjustment provided to non-uniformed City employees for cost-of-living increases; and WHEREAS, § 31.17 should be amended so that the Mayor’s annual salary should be no less than the beginning of the second quartile of the salary range assigned to the Mayor’s position by the City Council’s approved compensation plan; and WHEREAS, the City Clerk/Treasurer and City Attorney should be treated the same as the Mayor regarding merit and cost-of-living increases authorized by the City Council for non-uniformed City employees. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS: Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby amends § 31.01 to state: “The form of government provided for this city is hereby known as the mayor-council form of government,” and amends § 31.15 (A) to state: “There shall be eight (8) City Council Members on the City Council who shall be elected as set forth in § 32.01.” Section 2: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby repeals § 31.16 City Council Member Compensation and Benefits and § 31.17 Mayor’s Compensation and enacts the replacement § 31.16 and § 31.17 as shown on Exhibit A attached hereto and made a part of this ordinance. Section 3: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby amends § 31.30 Office of City Clerk-Treasurer (E) Salary (3) by repealing that subsection and enacting its replacement subsection Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Ordinance: 7043 File Number: 2026-3480 Page 2 31.30 (E)(3) as shown on Exhibit B attached hereto and made a part of this ordinance. Section 4: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby amends § 31.45 City Attorney; Legal Department (G)(3) by repealing that subsection and enacting its replacing subsection 31.30 (G)(3) as shown on Exhibit C attached hereto and made a part of this ordinance. Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Exhibit A 31.16 City Council Member’s Annual Compensation (A) Annual Compensation. A City Council Member beginning a term following election or appointment shall receive the same annual salary then being paid to the other City Council Members. All City Council Members shall receive the same annual salary, payable biweekly. When the City Council approves a cost-of-living adjustment for non-uniformed City employees through the annual budget process, each City Council Member’s salary shall increase by the same percentage, effective on the same date that the adjustment takes effect for those employees. (B) Benefits. City Council Members shall receive the Municipal League’s AD&D coverage and city-paid life insurance coverage in the amount of $15,000.00. City Council Members may elect to participate in the city-subsidized health insurance, group dental and vision plans on the same terms as full-time city employees. City Council Members may elect to participate in any other city offered insurance for which they are eligible by paying the full amount of the costs of such supplemental product. 31.17 Mayor’s Annual Compensation (A) Annual Compensation. The Mayor’s annual salary shall be no less than the beginning of the second quartile of the salary range assigned to the Mayor’s position in the City Council-approved compensation plan. When the City Council approves a cost-of-living adjustment for non- uniformed City employees through the annual budget process, the Mayor’s annual salary shall increase by the same percentage, effective on the same date that the adjustment takes effect for those employees. When the City Council approves funding for merit increases for non-uniformed employees through the annual budget process, the Mayor’s annual salary shall also increase by the average merit increase percentage established for those employees, effective on the date those merit increases take effect. (B) Benefits. The Mayor is entitled to all the normal city benefits for full-time employees as well as the Municipal League’s AD&D insurance coverage. However, the Mayor may opt out of a regular employee’s time keeping requirements and use of sick, vacation, and other leave requirements pursuant to 31.31. (C) The Mayor shall make an irrevocable election in writing during his or her first two (2) months in the term whether or not to be paid an annual automobile allowance of $5,000.00 in equal monthly installments during the Mayor’s term of office. If the Mayor does not make such election in writing in the first two months, the automobile allowance shall not be paid during the Mayor’s term of office. The Mayor may elect in writing at any time to end the annual automobile allowance for the remaining term of office. Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Exhibit B 31.30 Office of the City Clerk-Treasurer (E) Salary. (3) When the City Council approves a cost-of-living adjustment for non-uniformed City employees through the annual budget process, the City Clerk-Treasurer’s annual salary shall increase by the same percentage, effective on the same date that the adjustment takes effect for those employees. When the City Council approves funding for merit increases for non-uniformed employees through the annual budget process, the City Clerk-Treasurer’s annual salary shall also increase by the average merit increase percentage established for those employees, effective on the date those merit increases take effect. Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Exhibit C 31.45 City Attorney; Legal Department (G) Salary. (3) When the City Council approves a cost-of-living adjustment for non-uniformed City employees through the annual budget process, the City Attorney’s annual salary shall increase by the same percentage, effective on the same date that the adjustment takes effect for those employees. When the City Council approves funding for merit increases for non-uniformed employees through the annual budget process, the City Attorney’s annual salary shall also increase by the average merit increase percentage established for those employees, effective on the date those merit increases take effect. Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 MEETING OF OCTOBER 20, 2026 TO: Mayor and City Council THRU: Jennifer Walker, Chief of Staff FROM: Missy Hutcheson, HR Director DATE: September 30, 2026 SUBJECT: Elected Official Compensation and Proposed Municipal Code Revision RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of the City Attorney’s proposed ordinance revising Article II of the Municipal Code governing elected official compensation. The revision would align annual salary adjustments with the City’s compensation practices and budget process. BACKGROUND: On September 2, 2025, the City Council approved Resolution 200-25, authorizing McGrath Human Resources Group, Inc. to conduct a compensation and classification study. The study included market comparisons with peer municipalities, compression analysis, an internal equity review, and benefits benchmarking to support updated compensation structures and ongoing administration. DISCUSSION: The study included City Council compensation. The Mayor, City Attorney, and City Clerk/Treasurer were evaluated within the non-uniformed market data set using the same Tier I and Tier II comparators applied to other non-uniformed positions. Article II currently establishes compensation provisions for elected officials. Revising these provisions would provide a consistent method for annual adjustments and support market competitiveness and internal equity. In the City’s Mayor-Council form of government, the Mayor serves as a full-time administrator. Staff recommends that the Mayor, City Attorney, and City Clerk/Treasurer receive cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) at the same rate and time as non-uniformed employees. When merit funding is established and approved in the annual budget, these officials would also receive an increase equal to the average merit increase provided to non-uniformed employees. This approach would help address internal pay compression. The study found that City Council compensation aligns with the City’s market compensation target. No adjustment to current Council salaries is recommended. Staff recommend future annual COLA increases at the same rate and time as non-uniformed employees, subject to approval through the annual budget process. BUDGET/STAFF IMPACT: No budget adjustment is required because sufficient funding is available in the existing salary contingency. The proposed 2027 annual budget will include funding for the annual COLA increase. Future COLA and merit increases would be addressed through the annual budget process. Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849 Docusign Envelope ID: 939FABA1-7EE7-867A-811B-3E8008FD2849